Soul Mates
by Bill K
Summary: On a vacation to Lake Biwa, Palla-Palla meets up with something out of Japan's ancient legends.
1. Vacation In Neverland

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 1: "Vacation In Neverland"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Moon and all related characters are (c)2018 by Naoko Takeuchi and are used without permission, but with respect. Story is (c)2018 by Bill K.

* * *

 **October 19, 2990:**

"Now isn't this a beautiful place?" King Endymion asked as he got out of the palace air car.

The scene was the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, in Lake Biwa National Preserve, the tract of land surrounding Lake Biwa. Lake Biwa National Preserve had been a national monument in Japan since 2081, when Queen Serenity had decreed it as such and banned all detrimental use or development in order to preserve the area's natural beauty. She'd done it out of concern for the environment and Japan's natural flora and fauna. She'd also done it as a surprise gesture to her friend Ami, because her father had spent so many years there that the two were irrevocably linked in Ami's mind. The area was a treasured resort for all of Japan.

Most of Japan.

"I suppose," came the reply from the ten year old Princess Usagi Small Lady Chiba. She was still in the air car in the back seat, typing obsessively on her PDA.

"Small Lady," Endymion sighed. "This is supposed to be a vacation. Could you please put the PDA away."

"I'm messaging Momo!" the Princess gasped with exasperation, her eyes never leaving the device.

"Unless either you or she are dying, I think the messaging can wait," Endymion replied, trying to remain patient.

"And if I were still in Crystal Tokyo, I wouldn't have to message her," she shot back, her eyes still glued to the device.

Just then a dainty hand closed around the PDA and jerked it out of Small Lady's possession. Indignantly she looked up and found her mother on the other end of the hand.

"Mom!" she howled.

"Small Lady," Queen Serenity said through clenched teeth, fleetingly looking like the Usagi of old that Small Lady had irritated just five of her years prior. "Get out of the air car and enjoy this beautiful lake. If you spend any more time on this PDA, you'll go blind!"

"That's a fallacy," huffed Small Lady. Seeing no way to win the argument, she grabbed her carry bag and dramatically exited the air car. Serenity tried to shove the PDA into a pocket, then realized that her gown didn't have pockets. She stashed it in the front storage compartment of the air car and climbed out.

"Brat," muttered the Queen. "It is NOT a fallacy!" Then she leaned over to her husband. "What's a fallacy?"

"Honey, I really think you'll enjoy Lake Biwa if you just give it a chance," Endymion suggested.

"Bored!" Small Lady replied over her shoulder as she wandered up to the cabin that sat near the lake.

"I would think you'd enjoy being away from the palace for once!" Serenity fumed. "You're always complaining about not getting to go anywhere!"

"This isn't 'anywhere'," Small Lady replied, pausing at the cabin and turning back to them. "In fact, this is as far away from 'anywhere' as you can possibly get. Does this place even have a computer and web connection?"

"Of course it does," Endymion sighed. "But no logging on until after dinner."

"Fine!" Small Lady huffed and stormed into the cabin. Endymion and Serenity looked at each other.

"We should have left her in the twentieth century," muttered the Queen.

* * *

 **October 4, 2998:**

A palace air car entered the air space surrounding Lake Biwa National Preserve. At the controls was Jun, handling the tricky flight pattern through the heavily wooded area with the same skill she handled her hover bike. On board the craft were Princess Usagi and her Senshi in their civilian forms, as well as Helios.

"I can't get over how different you look without that headdress, Jun," Usa remarked. Jun had, since her return from her solo sojourn on her hover bike, begun wearing her green hair down or in a simple ponytail.

"Well, I couldn't wear the headdress under my helmet on the trip," Jun responded as she piloted the craft. "After a while I just decided to leave it off. I'll still wear it on special occasions, but not for every day." She grinned self-consciously. "It's sort of more of the 'new me'."

"It looks good, Jun," Usa told her.

The craft began its approach to a small area by the lake with a pair of rustic-looking cabins that were actually constructed of poly-fiber resin made to look like wood.

"Wow, it doesn't look like it's changed at all!" marveled the Princess as she looked over the area from the air car portal.

"Your mother has taken great care to preserve this area, Maiden," Helios added. "I find it very reminiscent of portions of Elysian."

"You seem really excited to be here, Usa," Hotaru observed.

"Yeah," the Princess grinned. "My parents brought me here about eight years ago for a vacation. But I was too young and stupid to appreciate it. All I did was moan and groan the entire time."

"Sort of like Cere's doing now?" Ves asked.

"Look, I understand that I have to be here as part of my job of protecting Usa," Cere hissed at Ves. "I accept that. But I'm separated from Hiroki because of that and I DON'T have to like it! And furthermore, don't you even THINK about criticizing me. Nobody died and appointed you leader!"

"I would have let you stay in Crystal Tokyo if you wanted," Usa offered. "I'm not going to need bodyguards for this trip."

"It's OK," Cere sighed. "Like Jun said, it'll give me a chance to meet some new flora." Then she gestured to Ves. "Besides, the drill sergeant insisted."

"It's our job," Ves muttered.

The air car landed in a designated clearing near a cabin on the eastern shore of the lake. Once the vehicle was shut off, everybody disembarked.

"Princess?" Palla-Palla suddenly asked energetically. "Can Palla-Palla play with the horsies?"

"Uh, Palla-Palla," Usa began cautiously, "there aren't any horses here."

Palla-Palla's face fell. "Then why come?"

"Not every place has horses," Ves grunted. "There's lots of other animals around."

"But they're not as fun as horsies," Palla-Palla pouted.

"Wow!" gasped Jun as she disembarked from the air car. "Just smell that water! Why have I never been here before?" She ducked into the car long enough to grab her bag. "I'm going to get my suit!" Jun rushed off toward the cabin, then stopped suddenly. She turned back to the group. "Uh, that's OK, isn't it Princess?"

"So much for 'Miss Spontaneity'," mumbled Cere. Hotaru put her hand to her mouth to cover her giggles.

"Go for it, Jun," Usa smiled. Then she felt a tug at her blouse. She looked and found Palla-Palla.

"Princess, does the cabin have a vid-stream?"

"I suppose I could rig one up on the cabin's computer," Usa replied curiously. "But don't you want to enjoy this place? What's on vid that's so important?"

"Yumi-Chan's Toyshop," Palla-Palla replied earnestly. "Palla-Palla wants to see if Miss Yumi-Chan can keep Bun-Bun from stealing her carrots."

Usa was about to reply, but Ves leaned over. "You better do it," she whispered to Usa. "It's easier than arguing."

Shrugging, Usa headed for the cabin with Palla-Palla dutifully following behind. Picking up their bags, the others followed.

* * *

The afternoon sun was beginning to set. As Usa exited the cabin and stepped down from the porch, she found Helios about ten yards from the shore. She also found that the east shore of the lake was a good spot to see the sun set along the lake's western horizon.

"Did you succeed in pacifying Palla-Palla?" Helios asked, turning to her as she joined him.

"Yeah, the vid-stream was pretty easy to hook up," Usa replied. "She was singing the theme song when I left her. She really loves that show."

"To a mind such as hers, repetition and familiarity are things that make her feel secure," Helios mused.

"Yeah," Usa murmured. "Helios, does she dream?"

"Of course, Maiden. All living things dream."

"Does she have pleasant dreams?"

"Maiden, you seek answers that I cannot give you. A person's dreams are sacred things and cannot . . ."

"No, I don't want to know specifics," Usa stopped him. "I know the rules - - and I do follow them occasionally. I just - - someone like Palla-Palla - - well, you said familiarity makes her feel secure. So when we go on missions - - to unfamiliar places - - she's not, you know, affected by that, is she?"

"Does her time as a Senshi affect her spiritual well-being?" Helios asked, glancing at her to see if he interpreted her question right. "There are things which linger. But it does not deter her from her desire to continue as your Senshi. And you could say the same about the others as well."

"Really? I know Cere isn't that hot about it, but the others? Even Hotaru?"

"Maiden, they have faced death and witnessed destruction," Helios told her. "How could they not be affected? They have fears. They have regrets." His hand came up and brushed at the pink hair by her ear. "Much the same as you do. But they choose to continue. Whether it is because of loyalty to you or the desire to emulate someone who has impressed them or to prove their worth to a suspicious world, they willingly follow where you lead."

"Good," Usa nodded absently. "I just - - I worry about them sometimes. And I don't want them to do this out of a sense of duty or obligation. I just . . ."

She stopped when Helios cupped her chin in his hands. Surprised, she stared into his eyes. He leaned in and kissed her.

"Of course you would," he smiled after their lips parted. "For your heart is such that you could do nothing else."

Usa leaned in and kissed him back.

The sound of splashing brought them back to the real world. Turning, they found Jun trudging out of the lake. She was soaked to the skin and the daring bikini she wore was plastered to her. But her face had a serene look to it that Usa couldn't recall often seeing.

"Sorry for interrupting," Jun grinned sheepishly. "But if I stayed in there any longer, I was going to cramp up."

"I'm guessing you're enjoying yourself," Usa smiled. "And where did you get that suit? That's a little daring for you, isn't it?"

"It's the suit I picked up when I was in Minami-Satsuma," Jun replied. Suddenly her serenity was gone, replaced by an awkward self-consciousness. "I'd like to blame it on Aino-Sensei, but it was my choice to buy."

"I'm glad you wore it. It looks good on you," Usa nodded. Then she nudged Helios with her hip. "Stop staring."

"Maiden," Helios replied, aghast. "I was not staring."

"Not much," she giggled.

"Thanks for taking us along, Princess," Jun said. "This place is a dream!"

"I needed some time off," Usa shrugged. "And I figured you all needed some time off. And could I PLEASE be Usa, Jun?"

"If you say so, Princess," Jun nodded, then caught herself. "I mean Usa! I mean . . . whatever you want. I'll try." Jun felt herself flushing. "Is the kitchen stocked? I can try to whip up something for dinner. I mean, I don't cook as well as Kino-Sensei, but all Ves knows is how to fry bacon and Cere doesn't want to get her hands greasy."

"Stocked and ready. If you want to cook, we'll eat it," Usa replied.

"I'll try not to make it too spicy," Jun said and hurried off. Helios glanced at his love and found her expression melancholy.

"What troubles you now?" he asked.

"There's still a distance between us," Usa scowled. "I'm not 'Usa' to any of them. I'm 'Princess'; except for Hotaru, there's still a distance between us."

"They are merely being respectful."

"No, it's more," Usa moaned. "What was the old saying: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When they first came, I wasn't exactly - - nice - - to them. And I think it still affects them, deep down. And I'm afraid it may be me. I do tend to spend more time with Hotaru than with them. And that's not right. I should be close to all of them, like Mom was with the elders." She glanced down. "I kind of planned this trip hoping it would break some of the ice that's still there. Spend some time together and maybe break down that last barrier between us. Convince myself that those thugs that ran with Nehelenia are gone and I don't have to carry a grudge anymore. I mean, if Mom can forgive anyone . . ."

She stopped babbling when Helios took her in his arms and hugged her to him.

"A generous and kind gesture, made by a pristine soul who really needs to stop comparing herself to her mother and live her life as her own person," Helios said as he held her. "For she is more worthy of the mantle she has assumed than she believes."

"Oh, you," sighed Usa and just rested in her love's arms.

* * *

". . .and then Bun-Bun tricked Miss Yumi-Chan and stole her carrots!" Palla-Palla explained with excitement. "And then Tree-San told Miss Yumi-Chan a story! And then she and Dragon-San counted to ten!"

"Still don't care," Ves sighed as she and Palla-Palla walked down the hall of the cabin. They arrived at the room Palla-Palla had chosen for a bedroom. "You going to be all right sleeping in a strange bed?"

"Yes, Palla-Palla will be fine. Is Ves-Ves going to be fine sleeping in a strange bed?"

"With some of the places I've slept in," Ves chuckled, "a strange bed don't bother me none."

"Did Ves-Ves brush her teeth?"

"I will when I'm ready to sack out." Palla -Palla looked at her curiously. "I'm going to nose around the woods a little bit. See what this place looks like at night."

"Does Ves-Ves think there are monsters?" Palla-Palla asked tremulously.

"Just want to get a look at the night foragers," Ves told her. "You don't get to see them during the day." Then she grinned maliciously. "But you never know. So DON'T go wandering around."

"Ves-Ves will protect Palla-Palla if there are monsters, won't she?" Palla-Palla asked, her lower lip protruding.

"Always. Now get to bed."

Beaming, Palla-Palla scampered into the bedroom. Ves closed the door behind her and stood a moment, smiling to herself. Sometimes Palla-Palla could be too needy. But sometimes it was nice to be needed.

Ves walked outside. Though it was nightfall, it was still early for everyone else. Jun was still swimming. Hotaru and Cere were on the steps of the other cabin, talking. Helios and the Princess were off somewhere and Ves could just imagine what they were doing. Summoning her henshin stick, Ves transformed into Sailor Vesta.

"Fauna Assimilation, Red Fox," she said and instantly took on the form of a red fox. With that, she bounded off into the forest to observe the other nocturnal animals.

Nearly an hour later, Palla-Palla suddenly woke. She sat up in bed, staring into the dark as if she were having visions of somewhere else. Without warning, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and got up. Stripping out of her footed bunny pajamas, the teen put her clothes on. She ventured out of the bedroom, down the hall and out the door of the cabin onto the front porch.

For a moment she paused as if unsure whether to continue. Ves had told her not to wander off. But what she was sensing tugged again at her mind and curiosity got the better of reticence. She descended the steps and headed off into the forest. Moments later, Jun's head bobbed to the surface. The teen shook the water from her face and hair, then looked around.

"Funny," Jun thought. "I thought I saw something moving up here. I wonder if they have bears around here. I really should call it a night."

Jun treaded water for a moment.

"One last lap," she decided and began swimming away from the cabins to the artificial horizon point she'd chosen.

Continued in Chapter 2


	2. Secret

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 2: "Secret"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when a red fox skittered up to the porch of the cabin on the lake front, one of two such cabins sitting side by side. One cabin housed Princess Usagi, Hotaru and Cere. The other housed Ves, Jun and Palla-Palla. Since the cabins only had two bedrooms each, Usa and Hotaru were doubling up so Cere could have a private room, while Jun and Ves doubled up so Palla-Palla could sleep alone.

The fox paused by the steps and sniffed the air. She stared out into the dark forest, watching and listening intently. Finally satisfied that there were no dangers around the cabins, the fox climbed up the stairs to the porch. Reaching the porch, the fox transformed into Sailor Vesta. By the time she reached for the door handle, she was Ves again.

Padding as silently as she could, so as not to wake Jun - - due to her early jungle training, Jun was as light a sleeper as Ves was - - Ves headed for Palla-Palla's room. Her intent was to peek in and check on how the teen was sleeping. Palla-Palla sometimes had difficulty sleeping in strange places, due to her mental immaturity. Too, Ves just felt better if she knew Palla-Palla was safe.

The sound alerted Jun that something was approaching. She sat up in her bed and peered into the darkness, old instincts keeping her ready to move in an instant.

"Ves?" she said softly. "About time you got home." Ves clamped a hand on Jun's shoulder, instantly communicating urgency.

"Palla-Palla's gone!" Ves hissed.

Instantly Jun was out of bed. She paused long enough to throw on a shirt and shorts, then looked in Palla-Palla's room while Ves searched the rest of the cabin. The bed had been slept in, but it was empty now.

"What could have happened?" Jun asked as Ves rejoined her. "I didn't hear anybody come in and I didn't hear her go out!"

"I don't know," Ves replied, trying to keep her head. "You go wake the others. I'll look around outside."

Outside, Ves summoned her henshin stick and transformed again into Sailor Vesta. Jun hurried over to the other cabin, knocked and came in. Inside, she found Helios sitting on the floor in the main room. He was in a lotus position, in a light trance, the gleam of his crystal horn giving his face an unearthly glow. As Jun passed by him, he emerged from his trance. Without knocking, she entered the room Cere occupied. The teen was curled up on the bed, wearing an expensive fashion sheer nightie. It took several shakes to rouse her.

"What is it?" Cere slurred. "Jun? This better be good."

"Palla-Palla's missing," Jun told her. Cere rose without further protest. She grabbed a robe while Jun moved to the other bedroom.

Inside, she found Usa and Hotaru back to back in the same bed. Hotaru had on dark, conservative pajamas while Usa wore just panties. Gulping, Jun steeled herself and went over to rouse the Princess. By now Helios was framed in the doorway.

"Just five more minutes, Mom," Usa mumbled. Jun shook her again.

"Princess," Jun repeated, then remembered herself. "Usa! Wake up!" The action did little to rouse the Princess, though it did stir Hotaru. Jun shook her again and saw a red eye look up curiously at her. "Palla-Palla's gone."

Moments later, four of the five teens were dressed and converged on the porch with Helios.

"Was there any sign of a struggle?" Usa asked Jun. Jun shook her head anxiously. "OK, Helios, can you sense any sort of mystical energy anywhere nearby?"

The dream guardian closed his eyes for a moment. "There is residual mystic energy coming from the lake itself. It is old, though, and probably a natural feature of the lake. Perhaps some creature of a mystical nature resides within it. I sense nothing coming from either cabin and little from the forest beyond the nymphs who live there."

"OK," Usa nodded, her brow knit. "How about Palla-Palla herself? Do you know when she stopped dreaming? That'll at least tell us when she probably went missing."

"It was early," Helios responded. "Her dream was short and ended before nine."

"I was swimming then," Jun muttered. "No wonder I didn't hear her leave. She was already gone."

"But where?" Hotaru wondered. "She wouldn't just wander off, would she?"

"She might," Cere said. "If she saw or heard or 'sensed' something that aroused her curiosity. You know she thinks like a little kid. Well because of that, she doesn't always consider that something she does might be dangerous." Cere took a breath. "I'll ask the trees if they recall sensing her."

As she walked off, Ves hurried up.

"I can't spot any sort of trail," Ves reported anxiously. "You don't suppose something teleported in and took her, do you?"

"It's hard to tell without Aunt Ami's Senshi Computer," Usa responded. "But before we jump to new theories, let's disprove the old theories first. And we need to assume that we're potentially in danger. Everybody transform."

Once that was done, everyone looked to their leader.

"Vesta, see if you can pick up her scent in case she did wander off," Sailor Moon said.

"Fauna Assimilation, Bloodhound!" Vesta transformed and immediately began sniffing the ground.

"I'll search the lake," Juno said.

"Can you do it without going in?" Sailor Moon asked. "Helios said there's some sort of mystic presence in there. I don't want anyone in the lake until I know what it is." She turned to Helios. "You and I can search from above. Your horn can give us some light. Saturn, you stay here in case Palla-Palla comes back."

Helios transformed into his Pegasus form. Sailor Moon mounted him and together they pushed off into the night sky. Pegasus illuminated his horn and projected a beam of white light from it, lighting up the shoreline like a searchlight.

"The trees remember seeing her," Cere said as she returned to the others. "But they can't recall when or where she went. Time isn't a concept they understand. It could have been from when we first arrived." She glanced over at Vesta the bloodhound. The dog was searching almost to the tree line. "Don't go too far, Vesta. If something is out there, we don't want it attacking you."

"I hope it tries to attack me!" Vesta snarled. "I'll rip it a new one!"

Cere was about to respond, but stopped when Saturn put a hand on her arm.

"She's just worried," Saturn told her.

"Yeah," Cere grimaced. "So am I."

By now Vesta had disappeared into the forest. Seized by an idea, Cere walked over to the tree line. Saturn watched her stand before a tree for the longest time. Then she brought her Senshi communicator up to eye level and pushed a button.

"I asked the trees to watch over Vesta," Cere said, returning to the porch, "and to let me know if something happens to her. What are you doing?"

"Contacting the Crystal Palace," Saturn responded.

"Is Usa going to like that?"

"Why wouldn't she?" Saturn asked. Just then, her attention was attracted by a face on the communicator screen.

"You're up pretty late," they heard Artemis remark. "And you're transformed. Is there trouble?"

"Palla-Palla is missing," Saturn explained. "She may have just wandered off, but we need to find her at any rate. Can you track her Senshi Communicator?"

"Give me a few seconds," the white cat replied. "Does she wander off a lot?"

"It's news to me, but Cere says it has happened," Saturn answered. "I apologize if I woke you."

"Don't. We cats do our best work at night," Artemis joked. Then his expression changed to a frown. "I'm not receiving a signal from her."

Saturn and Cere exchanged nervous glances. "Could it be a malfunction in your equipment?" Saturn asked.

"I doubt it. I'm getting transmissions from the rest of you. But nothing from Palla-Palla. Either something is shielding the transponder signal or she's not in the area anymore."

"That can't be," whispered Cere. Saturn saw she had a haunted look.

"I've widened the reception to planet-wide search," Artemis told them. "It'll take a few moments for the signal to reflect off the various telecom satellites."

"Who would want to abduct Palla-Palla?" Cere asked, her voice trembling. "Why? Do they need her for her mental powers? Or is it something more creepy?"

"Facts before extrapolation," Saturn advised her. "That's what Mizuno-Sensei always says. There's no sense making assumptions before we know more."

"Yeah," Cere nodded. "Sure. It makes sense. But I can't help worrying . . ."

"Saturn?" Artemis spoke up. The two teens hushed and listened intently to the communicator. "There's no signal anywhere on Earth." There was a pregnant silence that followed. "Remember, she could just be in an area that's shielded from the transponder signal being received."

"Does that occur naturally?" Saturn asked.

"I," Artemis began, "suppose. It would take an extraordinary set of circumstances, though. Do you want me to send in the Elder Senshi?"

Saturn swallowed. "I'd better let Usa make that decision. We'll let you know." She paused, then as an after thought. "Thank you for your help, Artemis."

"I hope it works out," Artemis replied. "I'll be standing by."

By that point, Juno had joined them. Cere and Saturn looked hopefully at her.

"She's not in the lake," Juno told them. "Which, I suppose, is a good thing. But something's not right about that lake."

"Not right how?" Cere asked.

"There are," Juno struggled to say, "presences. It's in the lake and yet it isn't. I didn't sense it before because I wasn't looking for it. And I can't for the life of me identify it. But it's there, in a couple of spots."

"Can you sense where?" Saturn asked.

"Closest one is south of here," Juno answered, vaguely gesturing in that direction. "Somewhere over there. But I can't pinpoint it. It keeps shifting. And it's not always in the water."

"That's the direction Vesta went in," Cere added.

"Sailor Moon?" Saturn said, pressing the call button on her communicator. "Come in, Sailor Moon!"

"I'm here, Saturn," Sailor Moon answered over the communicator. "What's up?"

"Concentrate your search south of our position along the lake," Saturn told her. "Vesta's picked up a scent in that direction and Juno detected a vague presence there, too."

"We're on it," Sailor Moon replied. "Saturn, see if you can contact Artemis and get a trace on her communicator."

"I already did," Saturn told her. "He can't pick up her signal."

There was silence.

"Do you want him to send in the Elder Senshi?" Saturn asked.

They heard an audible sigh. "Yeah," Sailor Moon said at last. "Maybe he better."

The gleaming white horse Pegasus shone like a star in the night sky over Lake Biwa. As the horse and his rider banked left toward the shore, a beam of white light illuminated the bluffs below. Water erosion had carved a small cliff along this part of the lake. The bluff was only ten feet high from the water line.

"I wonder if Palla-Palla knows how to swim," Sailor Moon murmured.

"A legitimate concern," Pegasus thought back.

"Why didn't I find out before coming here?" the pink teen cursed herself.

"Maiden," Pegasus thought to her, "recriminations distract you from the task at hand."

"Yeah," frowned the Princess.

On they flew, the light from the equine's crystal horn exposing the night activity on the ground. Chipmunks, rabbits, foxes and other night foragers would bound away in fear from the illumination. As Pegasus flew, he could feel the thighs and knees of his love pressing into his sides, her tension transmitting to him. He wished he could ease her fears. Should the worst happen, she would be devastated and that in turn would make him sad. And he would mourn the loss of the happy dreams that sprang from the child-like innocence of Palla-Palla's mind.

"There's Vesta!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, leaning forward and pointing. "Can you set down safely?"

"I cannot land directly beside her," Pegasus thought, "but I can put down near enough to walk to her."

The two landed and ventured through thirty yards of forest. When they reached Vesta, still in the form of a blood hound, they found her searching in small circles around the area.

"Vesta?" Sailor Moon inquired.

"I lost her scent!" the hound replied. There was panic in her voice. "I can't find it again! It just stops!"

"Helios, can you throw some light on this area?" Sailor Moon requested.

"Maiden," the winged horse thought back to her, "I sense something in this area."

"What?"

"I do not know," Pegasus responded. "It is disguised from my senses. I do not know what or where it is," and he paused to stare ahead, shifting anxiously on his hooves, "but something is near."

"Yeah," Vesta added, staring in the same direction. "I can feel it, too. So do the other animals. See any birds? Any nighttime mammals?" Vesta continued to stare. "They're all steering clear - - giving this area a wide berth."

"Then maybe that's where we should look next," Sailor Moon replied, her mouth thinning.

"Caution, Maiden," Pegasus advised. "We do not know what lurks in there. To just blindly walk in risks disaster."

"And whatever's in there might have Palla-Palla!" Vesta argued. "That means it's going to have to deal with me!" A thought struck the hound. "Princess, maybe you better stay back. Just in case he's right, you know."

She wanted to argue. But Vesta and Pegasus both were only doing their duty as a Senshi and as a lover: looking out for her safety. That was the price of her station, as royalty and as a leader.

"All right," she said, clearly annoyed by the logic of the situation. "But maybe you'd better go in as something better equipped to deal with an attack."

"Way ahead of you, Princess," Vesta replied. "Fauna Combination, Silver Back Gorilla African Elephant!"

Sailor Moon and Pegasus had to step back to allow room for the suddenly expanding Sailor Vesta as she mutated into a silver back gorilla roughly the size of an elephant. Vesta was about to venture forward when Sailor Moon's communicator signaled.

"Sailor Moon!" she heard Saturn exclaim. "Palla-Palla's back! She's back at the cabin and she's safe!"

Not wasting time to transform, Vesta whirled one hundred and eighty degrees and bounded for the cabins. Sailor Moon quickly mounted Pegasus and the pair were airborne in moments.

Because she was flying, Sailor Moon reached the cabins first. As Pegasus put down, Sailor Moon could see Palla-Palla bracketed by Saturn and Juno. Cere knelt before the girl and had hold of her arms while she questioned the girl intently. Quickly the Princess dismounted. As she approached, Saturn shot her a nervous glance.

"But WHERE did you go?" Cere persisted. Palla-Palla seemed nervous and intimidated and the Princess wasn't certain if it was because of the way Cere was asking or what she was asking.

"Around," Palla-Palla responded, struggling not to cry.

"'Around' isn't a place," Cere argued. "Where is 'around'?"

"Palla-Palla doesn't know its name!" the teen howled. "She heard something and she went to see what it was!"

Gently Sailor Moon eased Cere away from the teen. She took Cere's spot kneeling before the shorter teen.

"We're glad you're back safe, Palla-Palla," Sailor Moon told the teen gently. "You really had us worried."

"Palla-Palla is sorry," sniffed the girl.

"So you're OK? You're not hurt?" Sailor Moon asked. Palla-Palla shook her head. "You said you heard something. Do you mean 'heard' it telepathically?" Palla-Palla nodded. "What did you hear? Do you know?"

"It was," Palla-Palla began. Sailor Moon could see that the girl didn't want to answer, but couldn't think of a way to get out of it. "It was a thought."

"From a stranger?"

"Palla-Palla hadn't heard it before."

"So you got up - - in the middle of the night - - and wandered off into the forest because you heard a strange thought?"

"Palla-Palla's sorry," the girl whimpered. "She knows Ves-Ves has told her not to wander off."

"OK, don't worry about that now," Sailor Moon said softly. "Did you meet the person who had the strange thought?"

Juno noticed that Vesta was a few feet away. She had transformed back to a human form and clearly wanted to hug Palla-Palla and then tear into her, but hung back in deference to Sailor Moon. Juno could see Vesta had that intense look she always had when someone or something threatened what she cherished.

Palla-Palla considered her answer. "Palla-Palla didn't see any people," she said finally.

"That doesn't quite answer my question," Sailor Moon observed. "Did you meet whatever it was who had the strange thought?"

Instantly she saw the girl tense up. Everyone saw it. Palla-Palla's eyes sought the ground and she resembled a trapped animal.

"Palla-Palla?" Sailor Moon nudged.

"Please, Princess, don't make Palla-Palla tell!" squealed the teen. "She promised!"

"Promised what?" roared Vesta, leaning in around Sailor Moon. "Promised who? DID HE THREATEN YOU? DID HE HURT YOU?"

Palla-Palla's eyes bulged as she stared into the face of Vesta's barely contained fury. Then she tore away from Sailor Moon and bolted for the cabin.

"PALLA-PALLA PROMISED!" she wailed, flung the door open and disappeared into the structure. Vesta lunged to pursue, but Sailor Moon intercepted her and held her back.

"No, Vesta! Let her be!" Sailor Moon advised. "In her state, you'll only make things worse!"

"If somebody hurt her, I'll kill him!" bellowed Sailor Vesta. "I'LL KILL HIM!"

Continued in Chapter 3


	3. Midnight Meeting

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 3: "Midnight Meeting"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

As Palla-Palla lay on her bed, sobbing forlornly, she recalled unbidden what had occurred that had put her in this dilemma in the first place.

A thought had struck her in the middle of the night, causing her to wake from a sound sleep. This wasn't unusual for Palla-Palla. Though her brain was in sleep mode, it was still receptive to outside thoughts if they were strong enough. When Ves had first come to the orphanage, Palla-Palla had been roused in the night by a nightmare the new girl had, reliving in lurid detail coated with subconscious guilt the sight of Ves seeing her father bent over the lifeless corpse of her mother. It was one of the things that made Palla-Palla sympathetic to the gruff new orphan.

This thought, though, wasn't angry or violent. The teen sat in her bed, staring out into the darkness of the room, trying to comprehend what she was feeling. This thought was different, both in tone and origin. It was a gentle thought, an inquisitive one. And there was an ancient quality to it, like someone who had lived a very long time and seen a great many things. There was also a hint of suspicion in the thought. The one who first thought the thought felt no fear or anger. Palla-Palla sat on the side of her bed and puzzled over what the quality of the thought was that she couldn't identify.

For someone of her limited vocabulary and limited understanding of some concepts was unable to understand what resignation was.

One thing Palla-Palla did know was the strange thought had caused her to reach out with her telepathic mind to try to find the one who attracted her attention. And in reaching out, she encountered other thoughts from the same source. And she encountered emotions that she didn't expect to encounter. Intrigued by the thoughts and emotions she felt, Palla-Palla got up out of bed and got dressed. Easing out of her room, she glanced at the room that Jun and Ves would be sharing.

Neither one was there. Palla-Palla sighed with relief. Ves had warned her repeatedly not to venture out alone in strange places. Palla-Palla felt bad for disobeying Ves, because she knew Ves was only protecting her. And because Ves might start yelling and that always upset her. But she wanted to meet the person whose mind she had brushed up against. If she could do that and be back before Ves or Jun discovered she was gone, everything would be fine.

Easing out of the cabin, Palla-Palla sensed Jun's joy as the teen swam in the lake. It felt good. Cautiously she felt for Ves's mind. Ves was still prowling the forest in fox form. She could feel Ves's joy and it felt good, too. Knowing it was now or never, Palla-Palla scampered off into the dark forest, running until she was certain she was out of sight of the cabins.

She stopped in a thicket of trees and looked around. The dense brush blocked out most moonlight. The lake was visible from the trees, but it was unfamiliar to her. Noises could be heard in the brush, from nocturnal insects and occasionally from rodents or other night animals. A childish fear filled the teen's mind, one of getting lost and being separated from loved ones. It was a fear, given her history, that was strong in her.

"Palla-Palla just has to be a big girl," she whispered to herself, swallowing. "Follow the thoughts."

Using the thoughts she sensed as a beacon, Palla-Palla carefully picked her way through the brush and the trees. She was moving south just thirty yards from the edge of the lake. A glanced showed her a small cliff ten feet above the water, the bank eroded away over time. Her fears lurking just beneath the surface but shunted aside by her short attention span, Palla-Palla continued to follow the trail to the mind she sensed.

Though the strange woods scared her, Palla-Palla realized that the mind she was following didn't. People didn't understand what a swirl of emotions they could be. Anger, hostility, jealousy and hatred might linger just below the surface of a person's consciousness. Though it might not be something the person was dwelling on at that moment, Palla-Palla could sense it. Her PKE classes helped her to tune it out, but sometimes she couldn't and the person who seemed nice and civilized on the surface was an open contradiction to her senses.

But this mind was different. She sensed nothing about it that might make her hesitant or afraid. It was something she had rarely sensed, though most commonly when she was around Queen Serenity. It was part of what spiked her already child-like curiosity.

Entering a small clearing, Palla-Palla stopped. The mind was here, but she didn't see anything. Puzzled, the teen looked around. To her left was more woods; to her right was the lake. Cautiously she took two steps toward the bank. There was nothing she could see. But the mind she sensed was here.

And it seemed startled.

"Hello?" Palla-Palla ventured. "Palla-Palla can hear you. Why can't she see you? Are you a ghost?"

There was no response. But she could sense the confusion in the mind.

"Why don't you want to talk to Palla-Palla?" she asked. "She won't hurt you. Honest. Palla-Palla just never heard thoughts like yours before and she wanted to meet you."

Again there was no response.

"The nuns always told Palla-Palla that ignoring someone was rude," she said. "There's no need to be scared. Palla-Palla won't be frightened of you. She can hear that you're not mean and won't hurt her."

And with that, a dragon materialized before the girl. It was twenty feet tall and partially submerged in the lake. It had a long, snake-like body with short forelegs that possessed menacing talons on its toes. The creature possessed a long snout with bony ridges around the nostrils and along the mouth, and two yellow eyes with dark pupils centered behind the snout. More bony ridges circled the eyes along the brow and ran down its back. Two long, limp tendrils hung from its upper lip and extended five feet down. The creature braced its forelegs on the bank and looked down at Palla-Palla curiously.

"How do you sense me?" it asked. Its voice was like a low hiss and sharp teeth could be seen when it spoke.

"Palla-Palla can hear people's thoughts," she responded happily. Then she grew chagrined. "But she's not supposed to. Sensei says its rude. Palla-Palla is sorry for peeking, Mr. Dragon-Sir."

"You are not frightened of me?" the dragon asked.

"No, Mr. Dragon-Sir," Palla-Palla said earnestly and without guile. "Palla-Palla can hear that you don't want to hurt her." She clouded up. "She also heard that you want to be left alone. Why?"

"You would ask that question?" the dragon snorted. "Are you simple?"

"Palla-Palla is stupid," she pouted. "But it's not nice for you to say so."

The dragon stared at her.

"My apologies for insulting you," it responded. "I meant no offense by my bluntness. And I have not always had pleasant dealings with humans."

"Apology accepted," Palla-Palla smiled. "Palla-Palla is named Palla-Palla. What's your name, Mr. Dragon-Sir?"

"Dragons do not have names," it replied. "We know who we are."

"OK. May Palla-Palla call you Mr. Dragon-Sir?"

"If it makes things easier for you."

"So why do you want to be left alone, Mr. Dragon-Sir?"

"Why do you care?" the dragon asked skeptically.

"Because we're supposed to care about each other and be nice to each other," the teen responded innocently. "That's what Queen Serenity always says and she's very smart and very nice. And if Palla-Palla wants to be very smart and very nice and be a princess some day, that's what she has to do."

The dragon stared for a moment. Palla-Palla waited for his response.

"That," it began, "is very noble of you. So you are a disciple of Queen Serenity. I have heard much about her over the years, even here. You have chosen a good path."

"Thank you very much," beamed Palla-Palla. "Queen Serenity is very nice. Palla-Palla always feels good around her." An idea struck her. "Would you like to come to the palace, Mr. Dragon-Sir?"

"I think not," it replied.

"But why? Aren't you lonely here?"

"I have everything I need here," the dragon responded. "I have a beautiful lake in which to swim. I have ample food. I have a secluded spot away from the encroachment of humans in which to rest. Why would I leave?"

"Don't you have any friends?"

"What need have I for friends? I am who I am. I need no validation from others." He sagged for a moment. "And there are few of my kind left in this world anyway."

"What happened?"

"Humanity happened," it sighed. "Humanity has a hunger for more and more, and your kind rarely thinks of the impact of their actions. The land disappears, paved over by their need to remake their world to suit them. The water shrinks as your kind consumes more and more. And the appearance of my kind inspires fear in your kind. And whatever your kind fears, it destroys. There were never very many of us as a species. And there were fewer still after humans."

"Palla-Palla is sorry," the teen said forlornly. The dragon looked at her, searching for duplicity and finding none.

"Your words are appreciated," it replied.

"Maybe Palla-Palla can be your friend."

The dragon stared at her again. Palla-Palla was truly like no human it had ever encountered in its long life.

"Your offer is kind," it told her. "But do you not have others of your kind that you wish to spend your time with?"

"You mean her sisters and the Princess?" Palla-Palla asked. Then she suddenly grew worried. "Palla-Palla has to get back or else the others will be very worried. And Ves-Ves will be very mad." She hesitated. "But Palla-Palla doesn't want to leave you all alone, either, Mr. Dragon-Sir. Won't you please come back to the cabins? You can stay with us. The Princess won't mind. Just don't be scared of Ves-Ves. She gets mad really easy, but she's really a nice person."

"I do not think it would be wise," the dragon said carefully, "for me to intrude. I will be fine on my own. I have lived this way for many years. But your concern for me is - - very touching. And quite rare for your kind. I thank you. Now go back to your dwelling before you worry your friends."

"OK," Palla-Palla said, clearly disappointed. Then she brightened. "Palla-Palla was very glad to meet you, Mr. Dragon-Sir. If she can, she'll visit you again. And you can always visit her whenever you want."

"It was," the dragon began, "my pleasure, Palla-Palla. Oh, but please, would you do me one consideration?"

"If she can," Palla-Palla responded, puzzling over the word "consideration".

"Tell no one of me or where I stay," it requested. "I desire my privacy and am comfortable in this place. It would not be my desire to have to leave because of curious or fearful humans. Will you do this for me? As a friend?"

"Palla-Palla promises," the teen nodded. "She really doesn't think you have anything to be afraid of, but she promises." Shooting her hand into the air, Palla-Palla waved. "Good-bye, Mr. Dragon-Sir! Palla-Palla was very glad to meet you!"

"Good-bye, Palla-Palla," the dragon nodded. "Meeting you was a surprisingly pleasant experience as well."

And as Palla-Palla scampered off into the woods, the dragon almost seemed to be smiling.

* * *

"It's some guy," Ves grumbled as she paced back and forth outside the cabin. "Some guy got to her and pulled something. You know how trusting she is. And then he guilt-tripped her into promising not to say anything."

"Ves, don't go jumping to conclusions," Jun advised.

"What else could it be?" snapped Ves.

"It could be a lot of things," Cere frowned. "What were you going to do, roar into the forest and maul the first guy you run into?"

"Don't be stupid. I got to find out who he is, first," Ves retorted.

"Congratulations. You can be smart," Cere said acidly.

"Then when I find out who he is, THEN I maul him."

She felt a hand on her shoulder and whirled on it. Standing behind her was Usa.

"Ves, you need to calm down," Usa said softly. Ves didn't want to, but she held her tongue. "We don't know what happened. In fact, we don't know if anything happened. Taking the offensive might just turn a neutral situation into a bad one. And that would only upset Palla-Palla more."

"Well we know she met someone," Hotaru spoke up timidly. "I mean she had to have made that promise to someone. But why? What's this person so afraid of that he wants to stay anonymous?"

"That's what's got me worried," Ves exhaled.

"And there is that presence out there that several of us sensed," Jun added. "What if it's trying to get to us through Palla-Palla? Or what if she just doesn't realize what it really is? I don't want to push her right now, but it's something I'd want to know."

"Suppose it would hurt if I talked to her again?" Usa asked everyone. "I don't want to force her to betray a trust, but if she is being exploited by someone, maybe she'll open up to me about it."

"She does have a lot of respect for you," Cere said. "Maybe you can convince her where we can't."

Usa took a breath and started up the stairs. She walked past Helios, who sat on the porch in his dream trance, catching up on the evening's dreams. Entering the cabin, she walked softly over to the bedroom door Palla-Palla was behind. Her knock was timid.

"Palla-Palla? It's Usa," she said. "OK if I come in?"

"Yes, Princess," she heard through the door.

Usa entered and found Palla-Palla laying on her side on the bed. It was too dark to see her face, but Usa sensed she'd been crying. Kneeling down by the side of the bed, Usa leaned in to try to look the teen in the eye.

"Palla-Palla is sorry for wandering off," the teen said meekly. "Please don't be mad."

"We're not mad," Usa offered. "We only tell you that because we're worried that you'll get lost or get hurt. Or run into somebody who wants to hurt you."

"But Muh. . ." Palla-Palla began, then caught herself. "Palla-Palla didn't meet anyone who wanted to hurt her." She stared through the dark for a moment. "But you don't believe Palla-Palla."

"I believe you think that," Usa said. "It might even be true. I don't know. Because I don't know what happened."

"Palla-Palla promised not to tell. Please don't make her do that!"

"I'm not," Usa assured her. "But we've figured out that you met someone. We just want to know if he might be a threat to you. Was he nice to you?"

"Yes," Palla-Palla squeaked.

"Did he want something from you?"

"No."

"Then you just talked?"

"Yes. He was very nice."

"Can you say why he called you into the forest?"

"He didn't," Palla-Palla exclaimed. "Palla-Palla sensed him. She came to him. He was very shy and didn't want to talk at first. But he came around."

"So you found him?"

"Yes, Princess."

"Do you know why he's so shy? Is he afraid of something?"

There was a pause. "Palla-Palla doesn't think she should say."

"OK. So you just had your talk and then you left?"

"Palla-Palla remembered that she had snuck out," the girl related, "and that she had to get back before Ves-Ves found out and got mad. And he said that Palla-Palla should go because he didn't want her to worry everyone. He's very nice like that."

"I see," Usa nodded. "Were you going to see him again?"

Even in the dark, Usa could see the girl's lips thin into a worried line. "Palla-Palla would like to - - if it's OK. But she doesn't think Ves-Ves would like it, so she better not."

"OK," Usa said, patting Palla-Palla on the shoulder. "Sounds like you've got things under control. Sorry if we upset you, but we were just worried about you."

"Palla-Palla knows," the girl said softly. "It's because Palla-Palla is stupid. Thank you for keeping Palla-Palla safe."

"No charge," Usa said, rising to her feet. "Get some sleep."

Closing the door behind her, Usa paused in the main room of the dark cabin and wondered if she'd handled the situation correctly.

"Boy, I wish Diana was here," she whispered. "I always feel better talking these things over with her."

The sound of an air car engine broke Usa from her reverie. The girl moved to the outside door and pulled it open. Stepping onto the porch, the Princess saw an air car with palace markings landing in the clearing by the cabins. Once the craft was touched down, its passengers emerged.

It was the Elder Senshi.

Continued in Chapter 4


	4. Secrets Aren't Secret Very Long

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 4: "Secrets Aren't Secret Very Long"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

The palace air car landed in a clearing near the two cabins. As Usa stepped out onto the porch, she could see the eyes of everyone except Helios were on the Elder Senshi emerging from the craft. Helios was oblivious to it, maintaining his contact with the dreaming. Usa remembered Hotaru had contacted the Elders and mentally chastised herself for forgetting to cancel the alert. She hoped her aunts wouldn't be too put out by running up to Lake Biwa for what was apparently nothing. And she hoped she wouldn't lose any of their confidence by seeming not to have everything under control.

"Any word on Palla-Palla?" Makoto asked. She was in the lead of the group. Minako and Ami were also focused on them. Rei, though, seemed distracted by something on the lake.

"She came back safe," Usa said, descending from the porch and walking over to meet the Elders. Her friends joined her, as curious as the Elder Senshi were. "Sorry to drag you four down here for nothing."

"Hey, it's OK," Minako replied, her mind easing visibly. "There's nothing like a trip to a rustic lake in the middle of the night to help your complexion. So what happened?"

"Yeah, you get anything out of her?" Ves turned to Usa, her look very urgent.

"She said she sensed some thoughts and got curious about them," Usa explained. "And wandered off into the woods to investigate. Apparently she met the owner of those thoughts. They chatted a while, then Palla-Palla thought she better get back home before, in her words, 'Ves-Ves got mad'."

Jun and Cere instantly glared at Ves.

"So who is this guy?" Ves demanded.

"She still doesn't want to say," Usa answered.

"That's suspicious," Minako commented.

"She says nothing happened," Usa spoke up. "That they just talked. I believe her."

"Well, she's not one to lie," Makoto observed.

"So why all the secrecy?" Ves fumed.

"She said the person she met was shy," Usa explained. "Maybe he heard we were here and he didn't want to mix with folks from the palace."

"A guy who doesn't want to meet me? Impossible!" Minako joked.

"Shut up, Blondie," Makoto sighed as Ami gave her an impatient look.

"So she's all right and everything's under control," Usa maintained. "Again, I'm sorry for dragging you four down here for nothing."

"It's quite all right, Usa," Ami smiled. "Better to err on the side of caution. This doesn't reflect upon your judgment." Usa's eyes met Ami's and she saw the all-knowing, all-seeing expression on the woman. Right then it made her feel four again.

"Hey! Where you going?" Minako shouted suddenly. Everybody turned to where Minako was looking. They all saw Rei walking south along the bank, in the general direction that Sailor Vesta had gone when she was tracking Palla-Palla.

"I want to check something," Rei replied.

"Great! I'll come with you," Minako began. Instantly Rei whirled and faced them.

"NO!" she barked. "I'll do this on my own." And she turned back to her original course, quickly disappearing into the dark forest.

"Yes, ma'am!" Minako replied sarcastically. "Man, I hate it when she gets all spooky like that."

"You suppose she sensed something?" Makoto asked. She turned to Ami and found her companion had already transformed into Sailor Mercury and had her Senshi Computer out.

"Getting anything?" Minako asked while the teens all looked curiously at each other.

"There seems to be a mass near the shore south of here," Mercury explained. "But my scan is unable to identify or categorize it."

"Like a big lake monster that likes to trash cities and rip down power lines?" Minako asked.

"Not necessarily," Mercury replied as Makoto shook her head. "I'm not even registering life sign readings. It could very well be a gigantic lump of trash or a submerged vehicle. With so little sensor information, it would be ridiculous to even postulate what it actually was." She closed the computer and glanced back at her friends. "But couple this reading with the fact that Rei clearly sensed the presence of something leads me to believe that the mass I scanned is very likely supernatural. Possibly a sentient entity, and if that's the case, it could very well be the entity that Palla-Palla conversed with earlier."

Immediately Ves started forward, intent upon following Rei into the woods. But a hand shot out and seized the teen by her shirt collar. Ves whirled angrily and came face to face with Minako.

"Ah ah, Ves," Minako admonished. "Rei wants to do a solo and she's probably got a good reason."

"If that thing's after Palla-Palla, I want to know!" raged Ves.

"And that temper of yours is another reason why you need to stay here," Minako added. Naturally Ves was about to rebel. Usa stepped in.

"Ves, let Aunt Rei handle it," she advised Ves.

"But . . .!" the teen fumed.

"Palla-Palla is safe," Usa persisted. "From what she told me, she's in no danger. But if this whatever it is turns out to be a threat, you need to be here guarding her."

That convinced her. Ves eased her shoulders and silently nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, Usa noticed both Mercury and Makoto nod with approval at how she handled the situation.

It made her feel a little better about herself.

* * *

Rei walked through the dark forest, unafraid of what might be lurking within. The hem of her robes brushed along the ground and against the roots of trees. She could sense there were no animals in the vicinity and if what she sensed was true, she knew why.

But a dragon?

She wasn't surprised that the dragon made its home in Lake Biwa. Lake Biwa was the largest fresh water lake in Japan and would be a natural habitat for a dragon. What did surprise her was that dragons still existed in this era. As human civilization progressed, dragons had become fewer and fewer, so her Grandpa had once told her. She had never met an actual dragon; only the demonic dragon created by the rage of the victims from the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. Her hope was that this dragon was in a better mood. Dragons could become very cranky creatures if insulted or put upon.

At once she stopped. There was a small clearing by the bank. Without fear she walked up until she was twenty feet from the bank. Then Rei bowed respectfully to the lake.

"Forgive me for disturbing your peace, Dragon-San," Rei said as she straightened. "But there are questions I must ask and only you may answer them fully. I plead for a moment of your time so that I may grow wiser."

Before her eyes, the dragon materialized from the invisibility it used to maintain its privacy. Dragons had always done so, but more and more practiced it as humanity began to expand into the wild. It looked down on her. She could read that it was slightly annoyed by being disturbed, but respected her position and her spiritual power.

"Ask your questions," the dragon replied. "I will answer them truthfully."

"Have you lived here long?" Rei asked.

"For nearly eleven hundred of your years, Priest," the dragon told her.

"Peacefully?"

"I seek no confrontations," it said. "I merely wish to be left alone. You need not worry about my intentions."

"I am grateful," Rei said. "Earlier you met a girl?"

"The one called Palla-Palla," the dragon nodded. "She came unto me led by sight not as formidable as yours, Priest, but impressive nonetheless."

"Did she disturb or anger you?"

The dragon almost seemed to smile. "She came as a beam of sunlight upon me and brightened my existence for a few moments," he said, then seemed to sigh, "then was gone. I did not wish for her visit, but I was sorry to see her leave. Are you her guardian?"

"One of them," Rei responded. "I am very happy to hear that your meeting went well. I will bother you no longer."

With that, Rei bowed respectfully again to the dragon. When she straightened up, the dragon had slipped back behind its cloak of invisibility.

"Remarkable," Rei said to herself, a smile curling her lips. "Every time you think you've seen and heard everything possible, something proves you wrong."

* * *

As Rei approached the cabins, she was surprised to find everyone waiting for her.

"Why aren't you kids in bed?" she gasped, looking at Usa and the Asteroids.

"Because we're not kids," Cere responded under her breath, but it was loud enough to be heard.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Makoto asked.

"I did," Rei nodded.

"And . . .?" Minako prodded.

Rei replied with one of her withering glares.

"Don't give me that look!" Minako howled. "I want to know if the girls are camping out next to Godzilla! Spill!"

"No," Rei replied stonily.

"Rei," Makoto began.

"What's out there is not a threat, to Palla-Palla or anyone else," Rei told them. "In fact, I think Palla-Palla managed to charm it. Beyond that it wants to be left alone and I intend to respect that wish, so that's all I'm going to tell anyone."

"Buzzkill," scowled Minako.

"You're sure, Aunt Rei?" Usa asked.

"Yes, Usa," Rei assured her. "You and the other girls don't have anything to worry about. Just try to avoid the part of the lake and the woods south of here. I wouldn't want you accidentally disturbing it."

"Well, if there's no crisis, perhaps we should return to Crystal Tokyo," Ami suggested. She glanced at Rei. "I yield to your authority in these matters."

"Sounds good," Makoto sighed. She turned to the teens. "You girls going to be all right?"

"Sure, Aunt Makoto," Usa smiled and nodded. She got a nod in return from Makoto and the four elders headed back for their air car.

"Come on, Rei, give!" they heard Minako badger Rei as the group headed back. "Did it have fangs down to here and big claws and ten foot bat wings?"

"Idiot," muttered Rei.

The teens headed into the cabin. As silently as they could, they opened the door to the bedroom Palla-Palla occupied and peered in. She was sleeping peacefully.

"Well I'm going to bed," Cere told them. "I've got an entire forest to talk to tomorrow and I want to get an early start." She smiled wickedly at the others. "But not too early. Nine's not too late for breakfast, is it?"

"I'll save you some," Hotaru chuckled. "Coming, Usa?"

"Might as well," she sighed. "Helios is going to be stuck in the dreamscape for most of the night." They waved to Jun and Ves as they left.

"I'm going to go to bed, too, Ves," Jun said. "How about you?"

"Yeah," Ves replied. Then she gestured to Palla-Palla's room. "But in there."

"Where?"

"I can sleep on the floor," Ves claimed. She looked away. "I just - - feel better about things if I was there with her."

"OK. Don't wake her," Jun told her.

Ves nodded.

* * *

On the flight back to Crystal Tokyo, Makoto piloted the air car. Ami sat in the front seat while Minako and Rei sat in the passenger compartment and bickered. As she guided the craft, Makoto glanced over and found Ami working on a portable computer work station.

"What are you researching now?" Makoto asked.

"Hmm?" Ami asked, drawn out of her focus on the computer. "Oh, I'm just looking up some myths."

"I've seen that look," Makoto smirked. "You're in problem-solving mode. You're trying to crack what Rei's being so mysterious about, aren't you?"

"I," Ami began, then sagged. "Yes. The clues were staring me right in the face, demanding to be extrapolated upon. I couldn't help myself."

"So what did you find?"

"Well, we have a large mass entity of supernatural origin," Ami explained. "It is amphibious and prefers to dwell in or around large bodies of water, but can exist in air or on land. What does that suggest?"

"She met a giant frog?" Makoto asked.

"Rei was concerned enough to investigate," Ami continued. "That indicates what she sensed has historically not always gotten along with humanity. But she said later that Palla-Palla charmed it, indicating intelligence and sophistication. Since I'm not well studied on Japanese mythology, I ran the facts through a database. It is my hypothesis that Palla-Palla encountered a dragon."

"A dragon?" gasped Makoto. "But dragons don't exist!"

"Apparently they do," Ami replied. They heard the cabin door open and turned to find Rei and Minako in the door way.

"You know, Ami," the priest sighed. "Sometimes you're too smart for everyone else's good."

"Then you confirm my hypothesis?"

"Yes," Rei admitted reluctantly. "Palla-Palla met a dragon."

"For real? Outstanding!" gasped Minako.

"Now I wish we'd stayed," Ami mused. "I would have liked to get more detailed scans of the creature." She glanced at everyone. "In the name of science, of course!"

"It just wants to be left alone, Ami," Rei told her.

"I wouldn't disturb it," Ami argued. "My senshi computer is very powerful at close range. It wouldn't even know I was there."

"Yes it would," Rei replied. "So respect its wishes and leave it be."

Ami sighed with frustration. "As you wish. But this is a unique opportunity to add to the knowledge of the world. I hate squandering it."

* * *

At seven the next morning, Ves suddenly awakened when she heard a noise. Crouched and ready to move, it took a moment for her to realize that what she heard was Palla-Palla stirring from her bed.

"Ves-Ves, why are you sleeping on the floor?" Palla-Palla asked, her legs dangling over the side of the bed.

"I was just making sure you were OK," Ves replied. She arched back and stretched, much the way a dog would in the morning. "What are you doing up?"

"It's seven o'clock. Palla-Palla has to get up and get her breakfast. Yumi-Chan's Toyshop is at seven-thirty. Palla-Palla doesn't want to miss it." The teen though a moment. "Can Ves-Ves set up the streamy thing so Palla-Palla can watch? Palla-Palla doesn't want to wake the Princess."

"Yeah, I think I can do it," Ves sighed. Listening to the childish antics of Yumi-Chan and her crew was a chore, but it was infinitely preferable to listening to Palla-Palla whine and moan if she missed it.

"Goody!" squealed the teen. She bounced out of bed and into the bathroom to get ready. As she thundered down the hall to the cabin's bathroom, Jun poked her head out of the other bedroom.

"What is it, war?" Jun asked. Though she was frazzled from lack of sleep, her jungle training meant she was alert no matter how little sleep she'd had.

"Worse," grunted Ves. "Palla-Palla can't miss Yumi-Chan."

"God forbid," Jun sighed. "I'm going back to bed. After all, even you couldn't mess up a bowl of Sugar Bombs. Just don't put ketchup on them."

"You're a riot," Ves scowled.

Pouring a bowl of the sugary cereal, Ves set it down on a table with a glass of milk next to it. Then she sat down at the cabin work station and began searching for the video stream of the show "Yumi-Chan's Toyshop". Finding the stream, Ves pulled up the latest episode and put it on pause so Palla-Palla could view it when she was done in the bathroom.

Ves whirled at a noise. Standing in front of the door to the bathroom, still in her footed bunny pajamas, was Palla-Palla. Her demeanor was intense and she stared out at nothing. Hackles raised on Ves.

"I know that look!" Ves exclaimed. "What are you hearing?"

But Palla-Palla didn't answer. She stared for a few moments more, then scurried back into the bedroom. Ves followed her and found the girl changing into her day clothes.

"What's up?" Ves asked.

"He's in trouble," Palla-Palla said. She shimmied into her light blue knit top and then headed for the door. Before she reached it, though, Ves grabbed her by the arm.

"Who's in trouble?" Ves demanded.

"Palla-Palla can't tell you! She promised! But she has to help him!" Palla-Palla exclaimed. She pulled out of the grip Ves had on her and flung open the door.

"OK, I'll go with you!" Ves offered because she didn't want Palla-Palla disappearing into those woods again, no matter what assurances Hino-Sensei had given them.

"No, Ves-Ves! You can't! Palla-Palla has to do this by herself! You have to stay here!"

And Palla-Palla was out the door, down the stairs and off into the woods as fast as she could go. As she disappeared into the woods, there was a flash of light, indicating that she had transformed into Sailor Pallas.

"The Hell I have to stay here," muttered Ves. Moments later, Sailor Vesta transformed into a red fox and bounded off after Sailor Pallas.

Continued in Chapter 5


	5. The Right To No

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 5: "The Right To No"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Pallas ran through the woods as fast as she could, heedless of where she was and what might obstruct her. Due to her mental limitations, she still had no real sense of direction or familiarity in the woods. Instead, she used her mental telepathy to home in on the thoughts she was receiving from the dragon that resided south of their camp. Once she tripped on a tree root and almost fell. Normally that would have daunted the Senshi and slowed her pace. But the urgency to stand by her new friend spurred her on.

Hot on her trail was a red fox, the current form of Sailor Vesta. Navigating the forest was much easier for her. The hard part was keeping far enough back so Pallas wouldn't spot her. She could stay visually hidden from Pallas with little trouble if she stayed far enough behind the teen. But Pallas could also sense Vesta's thoughts if she wasn't concentrating too hard on other things and that was more likely to betray her. Vesta tried to clear her mind and run on instinct, but it was difficult, particularly with the way she was concerned about her fellow Senshi. But there was little choice. She wasn't about to let Pallas roam the woods alone.

Pallas reached the clearing where she'd met the dragon the night before. It was as she feared. A news crew from Japan's national video news bureau was there, looking around the clearing. Videography equipment was set up and a reporter was talking with his producer. The thought Pallas had picked up from the dragon was its initial concern when the news crew arrived and started setting up.

"I'm not sure there is a story here," the producer expressed. He was older, with salt and pepper hair, squat and run down from years in the field.

"There has to be," replied the talent; Hideo Akibara was young, photogenically handsome and obsessed with recording unusual events and telling the world about those events. "The Sailor Senshi didn't come tearing down here just to see the sights. Something happened down here, and if Princess Usagi or the Sailor Senshi are involved, people are going to want to know."

"I agree. It's unusual," the producer shook his head. "But we've been here for hours and nothing's here."

"Something's here," Hideo frowned. "We just haven't found it yet. And the priest, Rei Hino, specifically came out here, to this spot. Maybe she sensed some sort of demon out here and bound it or something."

"A demon?" the producer asked. "This is the thirtieth century."

"Are you forgetting your history?" bristled Hideo. "The very first case Princess Usagi worked on when she started working as Sailor Moon was a demon possessing people."

"That must have been when I was in Kobe," the producer sighed. "Well whatever it was, there's no evidence of it now. We're just wasting our time out here." He slapped his neck. "And I'd rather not be mosquito bait if nothing's going to come of it."

"No, something's here," Hideo shook his head. "I feel it."

He turned and began wandering thoughtfully toward the small bluff that overlooked the lake. Pallas watched from concealment with increasing anxiety. Lost in thought, the reporter got closer to the shore, closer to where the dragon had been.

"Stop!" Pallas shouted, emerging from concealment. "You mustn't go there!"

"What?" Hideo exclaimed, turning to face her. The producer and the video crew looked over at Pallas as well. "Wait, you're Sailor Pallas! You're one of the Princess's Senshi! What happened here? Is there a dangerous situation here?"

"You need to leave!" Pallas shouted, her anxiety level rising. Vesta watched from concealment, confused by the entire situation but realizing that Pallas was losing control of the situation and of herself.

"Why? Did something happen here?" Hideo asked, rapidly approaching Pallas. The video crew hastily engaged their equipment and began recording. "Is that why the Princess and the rest of you are here? Is there a situation that the public needs to know about?"

"YOU NEED TO LEAVE!" Pallas shouted louder and more urgently.

"The public has a right to . . ." Hideo persisted.

"BEAUTIFUL INCANTATION!" Pallas screamed.

A shock wave of mental energy fanned out from Pallas in all directions. Being closest, Hideo was bowled over and carried several feet before hitting the ground. Then the producer was knocked over. Then the video crew. Then the hover-truck they and their equipment arrived in. The trees in the clearing stayed rooted to the ground, but they shook violently, as if caught in a hurricane.

Recovering their wits, Hideo and the others stared in shock and intimidation at the diminutive Senshi. Tears were streaming down her face.

"Pallas is sorry," Pallas whimpered, "but you need to leave."

"You can't just assault . . ." Hideo began, picking himself off the ground. But he stopped when a timber wolf lunged out of the bushes and parked itself next to Sailor Pallas.

"You heard her!" Vesta snarled, showing menacing teeth. "Beat it!"

"Come on, Akibara," the producer advised, holding his air talent by the shoulders. "We can't fight this head on. There are other ways to find out what's going on here."

Surrendering to the logic, Hideo allowed himself to be led off. As Pallas and Vesta watched, the crew righted their hover-truck, then packed up and sped off. Pallas only relaxed once they were out of sight.

"You shouldn't have come, Vesta," Pallas said softly. "Pallas promised."

"Never mind that now. I'm here," Vesta replied, transforming back into a human. "Now what the Hell is going on here?"

"Pallas can't tell you," Pallas replied, beginning to tear again. "Pallas promised."

"Your adherence to your word does you great honor, Palla-Palla," a voice emerged from the area near the lake. Vesta looked toward the voice and saw a huge dragon materialize on the bank of the lake. "But I fear in your zeal to protect me and stay true to your word, you have done more harm than good."

"Holy Hell!" Vesta gasped. Pallas began to walk up to the dragon. "Pallas, stay back! That thing . . .!"

"It's all right, Vesta," Pallas told her. "Mr. Dragon-Sir won't hurt Pallas. Mr. Dragon-Sir is her friend." She continued to walk up to the dragon. "Pallas is sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Dragon-Sir. She heard you and thought you were in trouble. She's sorry if she made things worse. Pallas isn't very smart and she messes up sometimes."

"Your intentions were innocent," the dragon said. "I am grateful for your concern. What's done is done. Perhaps nothing will come of it." It looked her over. "You are able to take different forms. I continue to marvel at how unique an individual you are."

"Thank you very much!" beamed Pallas. "Pallas thinks you're very unique, too!" She gestured at Vesta. "This is Pallas's sister, Vesta. Only she's not really Pallas's sister. She's adopted." Pallas frowned. "Or maybe Pallas is the one who is adopted."

"Wait a minute!," Vesta shook her head. "You mean, you're a dragon? An actual, real life dragon?"

"Yes," the dragon replied. Then it got a mischievous glint in its eye. "And you are a Senshi? An actual, real life Sailor Senshi?"

"You know about the Senshi?" Pallas asked.

"Many things have come to my attention over the centuries," the dragon replied. "The work of Queen Serenity and her Senshi are one of them. It surprises me that you are among their number, Palla-Palla. Then again, it shouldn't, for I learn how special you are every moment I am in your presence."

"You're so nice!" Pallas smiled.

"I think I shall miss being with you, Palla-Palla," the dragon continued. "Or do you prefer Pallas in this form?"

"What do you mean you'll miss Pallas?"

"I doubt you were planning on staying here," the dragon explained. "You will have to leave some time and return to Crystal Tokyo. And I fear that I may have to move regardless. I do not think the other humans who were here will stop trying to discover me - - particularly after the forceful manner in which you sent them away."

The Senshi's eyes sought the ground. "Pallas didn't think of that."

At once, Vesta pointed to the sky. Overhead, a photographic camera drone was navigating the thick cluster of trees near the clearing. The dragon instantly receded behind its cloak of invisibility.

"That's a spy drone," Vesta told Pallas. "That news crew is at it again."

"Pallas will smash it!" Pallas declared. But Vesta stopped her.

"That won't help," Vesta advised her. "Best thing we can do now is go back to the cabins."

"But Pallas wants to stay and talk with Mr. Dragon-Sir," Pallas whined.

"You want to blow his cover?" Vesta asked. Pallas shook her head. "Then let's go. Maybe you can come back and visit if this thing blows over."

"OK. Vesta knows best," Pallas moaned, her lower lip protruding. "But Pallas doesn't like it."

When the pair got back to the cabins, Cere was waiting for them. It didn't take Palla-Palla's ability to read minds to know that she wasn't happy.

"Now what did you do?" Cere demanded, glaring squarely at Ves.

"What's up your ass?" Ves grunted.

"This!" and Cere shoved her PDA into her sister's face. Ves readjusted her sight line and found a story on the news streams about a potential emergency situation at Lake Biwa, with a sidebar story about two Sailor Senshi assaulting a news crew. "Honestly, you should be put on a leash!"

"Damn, they didn't wait around," Ves muttered. Palla-Palla peered around Ves's arm and looked at the PDA.

"What's it say, Ves-Ves?" Palla-Palla asked. "You know Palla-Palla doesn't read very well."

"It says two Senshi attached to me attacked a news crew in an attempt to cover up a dangerous situation," Usa said. Everyone glanced up at the porch of the far cabin. Usa was there, flanked by Hotaru and Helios. The Princess betrayed no emotion. "What happened?"

"Some vid reporters wouldn't take a hint," Ves replied. She couldn't manage to look Usa in the eye. "Maybe things got a little rough . . ."

"No, really?" fumed Cere. "Imagine that, with you in the area!"

"PALLA-PALLA DID IT!" Palla-Palla shouted. Startled by the outburst, everyone focused on the teen. Tears began sprouting again. "P-Palla-Palla had to make them go away. Ves-Ves was just protecting her. Palla-Palla is the one who did it."

"Why?" Usa asked in amazement.

"Palla-Palla can't tell you," the girl squeaked. "She promised."

"We were shielding her new friend," Ves spoke up. Palla-Palla stared at her in shock. "I didn't promise nothing." She turned back to the others. "Palla-Palla met a-a dragon."

"A DRAGON?" Cere exclaimed in shock. Usa and Hotaru were also amazed.

Helios, though, was not.

* * *

"Mina?" the communication came over the palace intercom. The receiver was on the night stand next to a large, luxurious bed. The lump under the sheets refused to move. "Mina, I know you can hear me!"

"Cat, you're going to hear something else if you don't leave me alone," mumbled the lump.

"Get up, Mina," Artemis said over the intercom.

"Why? It's not even ten yet."

"We've got a situation," the cat replied with some annoyance.

"We've always got a situation," Minako grumbled as she fought her way out from under the sheets. "What happened? Did Diana run off with some alley cat with a bad reputation?"

"Bite your tongue! My daughter has standards! That's something you'd do!" Artemis growled. "Pull up the news streams."

"Unless somebody got nude shots of Toshiro Yamanaki, I don't . . ." Minako began. Then she saw the news item. "Damn. Somebody must have discovered the dragon."

"Dragon?" gasped Artemis over the intercom. "What dragon?"

"Forget I said that," Minako quickly added. "Do the others know?"

"Luna told the other Senshi already. She's briefing the King and Queen now."

"Got it. I assume we're meeting in the briefing room. I'll be there," Minako sighed, pulling herself out of bed. "Teenagers. And you always wondered why I never had kids."

"And I thought it was because you didn't want to look fat," Artemis jabbed, then broke the connection.

"Yeah, there's that, too," Minako mumbled as she pulled on a top.

* * *

After Ves had explained the situation to everyone, a stunned group of teens gathered around their princess as she sat on the steps to the cabin.

"I don't think it's a threat to anyone," Ves concluded. "Being in the wild, you get a vibe for things like that. I just think he wants to sit in the water and be left alone."

"I'm sure you're right," Usa nodded. "Aunt Rei didn't think it was a threat, either. If she and you both vouch for it, that's good enough for me." She glanced to the side. "Oh, and you too, Palla-Palla."

"I am familiar with such creatures as well," Helios spoke up. "This dragon seems older and more mature than some who crossed paths with humanity in the past. It seems to desire peace over confrontation."

"Which it's not going to get if that news crew finds out about it," Usa sighed. "That means we have to prepare for what it will do if it is discovered."

"Palla-Palla doesn't want Mr. Dragon-Sir to have to leave," Palla-Palla moaned. "He's ever so happy there. And Palla-Palla wants to know where she can find him when she wants to chat. She might even bring him some tea and cookies." She glanced timidly at Cere. "Can Cere-Cere help Palla-Palla with that?"

"I can bake them, but you're going to have to serve them yourself," Cere replied. "No way I'm getting near a dragon."

The discussion was interrupted by Usa's PDA signaling her of an incoming call. She pulled the device out and glanced at it, then scowled.

"What is it?" Hotaru asked.

"It's Pop," Usa sighed. "I should have known this was coming. Excuse me. I better take this inside."

The Princess got up and went inside of the cabin. Her remaining friends looked at each other, wondering what was coming.

"Maybe the King and Queen will intercede and put the area off limits," Hotaru offered.

"That will REALLY make the news people suspicious," Cere shook her head. "The only way to get them to back off is to convince them that there's no story here. But how do you hide a twenty foot dragon?"

"There must be some way," Jun shrugged. "If he's been around so long, why hasn't anyone but Ves and Palla-Palla seen him?"

"Mr. Dragon-Sir can make himself so you can't see him!" Palla-Palla exclaimed. "When Palla-Palla first met him, she could only hear him with her head!"

"Yeah, same with me," Ves added. "But I don't know if that dragon can move and maintain its invisibility."

"And Mizuno-Sensei was able to detect its mass with her Senshi Computer," Hotaru added. "So it can be tracked."

Further conversation was interrupted when Usa emerged from the cabin. She walked up, grasped Helios by the hand for a few moments, then sat down on the step.

"So what's the word?" Ves asked.

"I got fussed at because you two lost it on those reporters," grumped the Princess.

"Palla-Palla is sorry, Princess," grimaced Palla-Palla.

"Pop's in damage control mode now," Usa explained. "The official story is that there are some 'unusual geologic readings' in that area, you two were just trying to protect everyone from a possible safety hazard and got a little - - um, over-zealous."

"What's 'over-zealous'?" Palla-Palla asked.

"It means we kicked somebody's butt without permission," grumbled Ves.

"Anyway," Usa continued, "Aunt Ami is flying back down this afternoon as part of the cover story. She's going to nose around with a few gadgets very conspicuously and then declare the area safe. End of story - - we hope."

"It could work," Cere nodded.

"Meanwhile, we need to stay away from the area until we're sure the news crews are gone," Usa added. She glanced at Ves and Palla-Palla. "Especially you two. Pop doesn't want any more confrontations or any slips that sabotage the cover story. Otherwise your dragon isn't going to get any peace."

"Palla-Palla will stay here, Princess," Palla-Palla declared. "But she hopes it isn't for too long. She misses Mr. Dragon-Sir."

"You're really sweet on that thing, aren't you?" Jun chuckled.

"Mr. Dragon-Sir is very nice. Palla-Palla likes talking to him," Palla-Palla nodded.

"Maybe if this all blows over, you'll introduce me," Usa smiled. "Now if anybody from any news stream, or for that matter anybody besides us asks about what's going on, none of you know anything. Refer all questions to Aunt Ami."

"Yes, Princess," they all nodded.

But unknown to anyone in the group, a small drone with a directional microphone was hovering just over the roof of the cabin. Its mission complete, the drone turned and flew back to its owner.

Continued in Chapter 6


	6. Secret No More

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 6: "Secret No More"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

The Princess Usagi sat on the step of one of the cabins she and her friends were staying at and looked at the vast blue of Lake Biwa without really seeing it. Her friends were trying to enjoy themselves despite the knowledge that the secret they all wished to protect might get out. It was at the behest of the Princess, hoping that if they acted like nothing was wrong, people would believe that nothing was wrong. But if everyone was depending upon her to put over the deception, things were doomed.

"Was it that bad?"

Startled, Usa glanced to her right and found Hotaru sitting next to her.

"How did you sneak up on me?" Usa marveled.

"You were pretty deep," Hotaru replied. "And if I know you, that call you took from your father is what's bugging you. Was it that bad?"

"Well, anytime there's an incident and Ves is involved, he gets nervous," sighed the teen. "He said all of the diplomatic things, about how this was an unexpected turn of events and fortunately nobody was hurt. But I know what he's thinking: that I can't control the group and I let a situation get out of hand because I'm not ready."

"You're ready, Usa," Hotaru told her. "You're already as good a Sailor Moon as the Queen ever was and you're the leader we all want to follow. And if that's what he thinks, then he's wrong."

The edges of Usa's mouth began to turn up.

"I wish I knew what to do about this dragon thing," Usa huffed. "We have to keep it hidden, for its sake as much as the lake's sake. Can you imagine the damage a bunch of tourists here to see the dragon would do? And then there's Palla-Palla."

"She does seem kind of attached," Hotaru agreed.

"I'm afraid that at the end of our stay she's going to want to take it back to the palace as a pet. No way that's happening. And it's probably going to break her heart."

"And good luck trying to explain it to her," sympathized Hotaru. "But knowing her as I do, she will get over it. Her mind doesn't seem to dwell too much on things like that." Hotaru grew a wicked smile. "Unlike some people."

"I'm not dwelling on it," Usa muttered. She glanced and saw Hotaru's skeptical look. "I'm not!"

"You haven't moved from that spot for a half hour," Hotaru challenged gently.

"What were you, watching me?" huffed the Princess. "Don't you have running to do?"

"Yes, I do," Hotaru said. "I was hoping you'd come with me. It's a lot more fun to run with someone than to run alone. But if you'd rather sit here and dwell on your perceived failures . . ."

Usa scowled. Then she slapped her hands to her thighs.

"OK, let's do it. I still have to stay in shape," Usa declared. "Maybe something will come to me while I run."

"Not too fast," Hotaru warned her. "I don't want my monitor to go off."

* * *

Having landed her air car at the cabins, Sailor Mercury was walking along the bank of Lake Biwa south of her craft. She had her visor down and her Senshi computer out, scanning the area. The scanner had once again homed in on the large mass in the lake south of her position.

"Odd that I'm not picking up any life readings," Mercury thought as she walked through the forest, splitting her attention between her scan and her path ahead. "Initially I though that this 'dragon' didn't register on normal life reading scans, but I'm not detecting any signs of life."

She pressed a button on the computer.

"Diagnostic checks," Mercury mused. "Could the wildlife in the area somehow sense the entity's presence and maintain a safety perimeter from it?"

Mercury stopped suddenly.

"There's some life signs," Mercury thought. "Four, all human, and a large vehicle with a superconductor propulsion unit. The news crew, perhaps?"

Mercury hurried on. When she reached the clearing Ves had directed her to, she found her deduction was correct.

"This is a restricted area," Mercury announced. The news crew turned to her. They were setting up equipment and Mercury noticed that some of the equipment wasn't video recording devices. "For your own safety, I'm asking you to leave."

"Or you'll assault us like the others did?" Hideo Akibara asked with an edge to his voice.

"That was an unsanctioned action on their part, for which His Majesty's government has already apologized," Mercury responded. "While their methods were unprofessional, their message remains. You must vacate this area, potentially for your own safety."

"Because of the 'geological anomaly'?" Akibara scowled.

"Arguing the point would be a pointless exercise," Mercury replied stiffly. "Please don't force me to summon CDP officers."

Akibara held up a hand-held receiver. He pressed a button. Suddenly Mercury heard the voice of Ves explaining to the others about the dragon that existed in this very clearing. The Senshi remained stoic, but inside her heart sank.

"Is that why you have that equipment?" Mercury inquired. "The infrared and the ultraviolet light projectors? Are they going to spot your 'dragon' for you?"

"Hopefully," Akibara replied. "If not, we'll try something else."

"Why is this so important to you?" Mercury asked, with a look that seemed to dissect him. "Are you seeking personal fame or do you see it as a duty to be fulfilled?"

"Sailor Mercury," Akibara began, "don't you feel that the public should know about a potentially dangerous creature being so close to them?"

"But 'dangerous' is an assumption on your part," Mercury argued. "There have been no recorded attacks at this lake that haven't been linked to human action in approximately nine hundred years. Aside from the invasion of the Dark Moon Forces, of course. Why do you assume this creature, assuming it does exist, is dangerous?"

"The stories . . ." he began.

"Many of those are myths," Mercury cut him off. "Tales invented by the fireside to entertain the less sophisticated. And the stories that may actually be true have no doubt been altered or enhanced through retelling. It's hardly a logical basis for assumption."

"The public has a right to know!" sputtered Akibara, growing frustrated.

"Does it?" Mercury asked. "The public has a right to be curious. But knowing is the product of study, hypothesis and deduction. These are not rights. They are things to achieve."

"Then consider this my effort to study and deduce," Akibara responded. He turned to the others. "Fire them up. Let's see what's out there."

"Shabon Spray!" Mercury shouted. Instantly the clearing was shrouded in a fog so thick that Akibara could barely see her five feet away.

"What was that for?" demanded the reporter.

"A precaution," Mercury explained calmly. "Just in case the 'geological phenomenon' might react negatively to the introduction of concentrated infrared or ultraviolet light."

"Then you're admitting it could be dangerous!" Akibara snapped.

"I'm concerned that your actions may be dangerous. I believe that is why I asked you to leave in the first place," Mercury said. With that, a CDP hover car pulled up. "Officers, this is a potentially hazardous situation and these civilians need to leave. Please escort them away."

"Uh," the CDP patrol officer started to say, peering doubtfully into the thick fog, "I have to find them first."

"Oh yes," Mercury grimaced. "Let me assist you with that."

When the news crew and the CDP officers left, Mercury turned back to the lake. Her primary mission here was to provide a cover story for what had happened. That, unfortunately, was now pointless. But the ever curious Sailor Mercury just couldn't resist scanning the area. It seemed a waste, she rationalized, to go there and not take some scans to analyze. Think of the potential scientific discoveries she might make. Bringing down her visor, Mercury engaged the scanning features on her Senshi Computer and read the data it gathered.

"I am picking up that mass again," Mercury murmured, lost in thought. "Clearly it's not a submerged vehicle or garbage pile. In fact, I can't see anything in the water which would account for this reading."

She thought a moment.

"Some sort of invisibility field, perhaps?" she mused. "It has to be either that or mental manipulation of my vision receptors. A spectral wavelength analysis is clearly in order."

Pressing several keys, Mercury changed the settings on the scan and on her visor receptors. A smile began to form on her lips.

"Yes, clearly something is absorbing the light photons rather than reflecting them," Mercury said to herself. "That poor man was incorrect in his assumption that far end spectrum light sources would reveal anything. Clearly I saved him some wasted time."

Mercury began to walk slowly toward the shoreline, her eyes glued to her data readouts. As she approached, she pressed several more function keys. The scans changed, bringing in new data. A clearer picture began to form of what she was scanning and the more she learned, the more excited Mercury got. She'd reached the edge of the water. It was obvious that something was there, something huge and old and not human. But the full picture still eluded her. Switching her scan mode, Mercury tried using an ultrasound based scan.

And with that, the cloak of invisibility fell away. Mercury looked up and her eyes popped.

"My goodness," Mercury gasped softly. "You are a dragon - - right out of mythology."

"Yes," the dragon seemed to grimace. "Could you stop making that noise, please? It's quite irritating."

"Noise? Oh, the ultrasound!" Mercury pressed a button on her computer. "My apologies. I was unaware you were capable of hearing something that high pitched."

"Thank you," sighed the dragon. "My, but you humans are a persistent species."

"Forgive me for disturbing you," Mercury offered. "I was - - curious. I mean no harm."

"I suppose you don't," the dragon sighed.

"With your permission," Mercury began, "may I take more scans of you? I've never encountered a creature like you before. Such knowledge could be quite beneficial."

"You're here," the dragon responded. "Take your scans - - except the loud one. Then once you're finished, could you please leave? I don't wish to be rude, but I desire the peace I had before."

"As you wish," Mercury nodded. She engaged her scanners. "Oh, this is much easier without the invisibility field. Hmm, biology is basic reptilian, but with a great deal of evolutionary differences. Do you recall your origins, if I may ask?"

"I was hatched here in Lake Biwa," the dragon told her. "That was over eleven hundred years ago."

"And have you always lived here?"

"Not always. I travel from time to time, sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of curiosity. Occasionally a human with extraordinary sight will discover me and I will have to move on so I am not either attacked or exploited. But I always return."

"An instinct?"

"No. I just like it here. Why would I wish to leave this serene place? Despite the human encroachment, this is still the place I feel at home."

"A very rational response," Mercury commented. "You certainly don't resemble the fearsome reputation your species has."

"You said it yourself earlier, myths become larger with each retelling," the dragon replied. "Or they're created from the mind of a human to entertain others." He seemed to shrug. "There have been a few encounters over the centuries between immature humans and equally immature dragons. I claim no superiority for my kind. But much of our 'reputation' comes from our appearance and how humans respond to it."

"A very rational outlook. You're quite articulate," Mercury said. "It's quite refreshing conversing with you."

"Thank you," nodded the dragon. "You know, I knew your father."

"You knew Dad?" Mercury gasped.

"I watched him paint," it said. "He knew nothing of it, of course. And when he worked, I could have stood right next to him and he wouldn't have noticed. He was quite dedicated to his work and quite visionary in his outlook. He seemed a gentle soul, and one of great insight. I was quite sad when he passed."

"Yes," Mercury sighed. "So was I."

Several moments passed silently between them. Finally, Mercury closed the cover on her computer.

"Have you finished?" the dragon asked.

"Yes," Mercury replied. She bowed to the dragon. "Thank you for enduring my intrusion."

Without comment, the dragon drew back behind its cloak of invisibility.

* * *

"Princess!" came a shout that sounded like Cere. Usa looked up from where she was still pondering on the cabin steps and saw Cere rushing up to her. The loud exclamation had attracted the attention of the others and they were all quick to gather.

"You got the news alert too?" Usa asked, her spirits flagging. Cere nodded.

"What happened now?" Jun asked.

Cere passed her PDA over to Jun. The headline of the story read "Dragon found in Lake Biwa" and embedded in the story was an audio file. When Jun played it, they all heard Ves recounting the encounter she and Palla-Palla had with the dragon. Palla-Palla could be heard sucking in air as the file played.

"How did they get that?" Ves gasped in shock.

"Probably a miked drone was eavesdropping on us, hoping to pick up something just like this," Usa sighed. "Well, the secret's out."

"Great. Now we're going to have every rubber-necker in the area down here looking to see the dragon," Ves muttered. "Might as well set up a booth and sell souvenirs!"

"And that's not even the worst of it," Hotaru spoke up. "What about the people who are going to be afraid of it? Some people are going to react negatively to the news and try to drive it away."

"This isn't the twentieth century, Hotaru," Usa reacted. "I'd like to think that people are more evolved than that."

"I'd like to think so, too. But some people don't react very intelligently when they hear the word 'monster'." Jun glanced at her and realized she was speaking from experience. "And then there's the scientific community. They're going to want to study the dragon; maybe even capture it."

"Princess, we can't let that happen!" Palla-Palla gasped.

"I don't think it's going to happen," Ami said. Everyone turned and saw her approaching. "I took some detailed readings of this dragon, with its permission. I can collate the data and publish the findings. It should forestall any further desire to analyze it."

"Maybe," Usa frowned. "Or maybe it's going to spur someone to top your findings. Or maybe inspire someone to try to exploit it. Regardless, that poor dragon is about to lose the one thing it seems to value most."

"Because of my big mouth," Ves said. "I'm sorry, Princess."

"You couldn't have known," Usa offered. "But I should have."

"So what do we do?" Jun asked.

"I don't know if there's anything we can do," Usa admitted.

"We could fight," Ves replied. "Run off anybody who comes trolling around here looking for a cheap thrill or trying to pick a fight."

"Are you planning on spending the rest of your life here?" Cere asked. "Because the minute you leave, they'll be back." Cere sighed. "That dragon is just going to have to find a new place to hide. I hate to say it, but I don't see any other way."

"I hate to say it," Usa nodded, "but I think you're right."

"Princess!" sniffed Palla-Palla. "Please don't give up!"

"I'm not giving up, Palla-Palla," Usa said. "It's just - - I'm stuck for a solution other than that right now. I suppose Mom could just wipe everybody's memory of the dragon. But she won't, so I know better than to ask."

"It isn't a solution anyway," Ami added. "The only viable option might be for the dragon to relocate."

"BUT PALLA-PALLA DOESN'T WANT MR. DRAGON-SIR TO LEAVE!" wailed the teen. Cere came over and knelt down before her.

"We know," Cere sympathized. "It would be a lousy thing for you. But it may just be the best thing for him right now."

Palla-Palla sniffed loudly. "Maybe he could come back to the palace and stay in Palla-Palla's room? Palla-Palla would take care of him. She promises!"

"But would he be happy in your room?" Cere asked. "Since he lives in the lake, he must like water. There's no water in your room."

Palla-Palla's face twisted up. Tears began to streak anew down her cheeks and her shoulders began to shudder. Cere gathered her in and held her as she cried.

"This is all that damn reporter's fault," hissed Ves. "I ought to find him and . . .!"

"No, Ves," Ami said with a warning tone. "He was just doing his job. It probably wasn't malicious - - though it may have become malicious after he was threatened and assaulted. And it would be hard to blame him."

Ves ground her teeth with anger, but she stayed with the others. A cloud of gloom fell over the young tourists.

Continued in Chapter 7


	7. The Runaways

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 7: "The Runaways"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

It was a somber gathering by the two cabins on the shore of Lake Biwa. Princess Usagi and her friends, along with Ami Mizuno, had come to the realization that it might be too late to protect the dragon that innocently resided on a bank of the famous lake. Thankfully, the mournful sobbing of Palla-Palla had subsided. The girl just stood, morosely looking at the ground. From time to time, Ves or Cere or Jun would glance over at her.

"Um," Hotaru spoke up, still shy even among girls she considered friends, "could the Queen maybe designate the area this dragon lives in as a nature preserve? People could be restricted from entering and bothering it."

"That's not going to stop some folks," Ves scowled. "To them, rules are just a challenge not to get caught."

"Particularly if the dragon has something they want," Ami mused.

"Such as?" Usa asked.

"Well," Ami began, "the dragon in Chinese and Japanese mythology is an icon for strength and power. Up to now, that iconic representation has always itself been mythological, since the dragon was thought to be a mythological beast. But there are those who still subscribe to the absurd psychological notion that possessing some representation of a beast of great power or stature can transfer such traits to the possessor. There are also fertility myths attached to such things. It's why the rhinoceros is extinct today and why the African elephant had to be repopulated through mass cloning." She took in a breath. "If there are similar myths about dragons - - their teeth or talons or some such - - well, declaring them endangered and their habitat a sanctuary isn't going to stop someone desperate for such a fetish."

Ami noticed the dispirited look on the girls.

"But I can bring the question up to Serenity and Endymion," Ami offered. "I'm certain they'll look favorably on it."

"Princess?" Palla-Palla spoke up. She seemed very forlorn.

"Yeah, Palla-Palla?"

"Can Palla-Palla go visit with Mr. Dragon-Sir?" the teen squeaked, punctuating the question with a small sniff. "While she still can?"

"Sure, Palla-Palla," Usa replied. "Just be careful in the woods."

"Want me to tag along?" Ves asked.

"Palla-Palla can find the way," the girl said and off she went. Ves watched her walk away.

"Bet she blames me," Ves mumbled.

"No she doesn't," Cere told her. "This is just hard on her."

"Usa, I'll go back to the palace and brief your mother and father," Ami said. "Unless you think I should stay?"

"No, Aunt Ami, you go ahead," Usa shook her head. "Maybe you and they can come up with a solution for this. We'll keep working on things here."

Ami nodded and headed for her air car. It lifted off, swung around and shot off for Crystal Tokyo. The others glanced back at Usa. The Princess could feel the weight of their stares on her.

This was when it sucked to be a leader.

* * *

Guided by the thoughts of the dragon, which she could sense, Palla-Palla managed to navigate the wooded area between the clearing and the cabins safely. She entered the clearing and found several local teens already there.

"Where do you think it is?" asked one, a youth of seventeen with a gaunt body and thick black hair.

"I don't know. The news stream said it was here," replied another, a girl of sixteen with short cropped brown hair and modest figure.

"Suppose it left?" asked a third. He was more burly, his hair cut close to his scalp. Undaunted, Palla-Palla entered the clearing. "Hey, there's somebody! Hey, where's the dragon? Did they take it away already?"

"You need to leave, please," Palla-Palla stated, fighting her urge to flee. "You're all disturbing Mr. Dragon-Sir."

"What's wrong with her?" grumbled the girl.

"I didn't know they still had low achievers these days," grunted the burly one. "WHERE-IS-THE-DRAGON?" he said with exaggeration.

"Mr. Dragon-Sir doesn't want you here. He wants to be left alone," Palla-Palla persisted. The gaunt male walked up to her.

"So you know where it is?" he asked, almost as an accusation. His companions joined him, looming over the five foot teen. "We want to see it, too."

"You want to make fun of him!" Palla-Palla scowled. "Palla-Palla can hear it in your heads! You want to tease him because you think that'll impress everyone!"

"How's she doing that?" gasped the gaunt teen.

"Must be a PKE-kid," the burly teen surmised. He leaned in to Palla-Palla. "Nobody likes people peeking into their minds."

"How does a low achiever have PKE?" the girl asked. "You faking it?"

Palla-Palla's jaw set. "Pallas Star Power Make Up!" And before the amazed eyes of the three teens, she transformed into Sailor Pallas.

"A Sailor Senshi!" the girl gasped. "And it's the one from the news feed!"

The three teens turned and ran as if demons from Hell were chasing them. Pallas just watched them run, fighting back the urge to cry. She sensed the dragon drop its cloak of invisibility and turned to it.

"You need not have done that, Pallas," the dragon said. "The humans would not have found me."

"They've already found you," Pallas told it.

* * *

Hand in hand, Usa and Helios walked along the northern shore of the lake. Helios could tell that the problem at hand, and her perceived failure to instantly solve it, weighed on his love. He wanted to console her, but waited to speak to see if she wanted him to solve the problem for her or to just provide a secure haven for her.

"Sorry if I'm a drag, Helios," Usa sighed.

"You are frustrated," Helios observed, "because you cannot solve every dilemma you encounter."

"I feel bad for Palla-Palla," Usa said. "And I feel bad for the dragon. It wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for humans needing to quench their needs at the expense of others. Why can't we evolve? Mom has worked so hard!"

"And she had accomplished much," Helios countered. "This world is nothing like it was a thousand years ago. You know that from your visits."

"And yet we can still create situations like this," Usa shook her head. "I don't know what to do, Helios. Do you have any ideas?"

"I do," Helios replied. Usa turned to him curiously. "If he wishes, the dragon is welcome to relocate to Elysian."

"Really?" Usa gasped, daring to hope.

"Elysian has in the past become a refuge for creatures of myth who no longer have a place in the conscious world," Helios explained. "No one will judge him in Elysian. No one will fear him, should he maintain good behavior. No one will disturb him, should he wish it. He can find the peace he so desires there."

"That sound's perfect!" squealed Usa. She wrapped her arms around Helios and kissed him. Then she pulled back. "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"You seemed intent upon working the problem out for yourself," Helios told her. Usa gave him an impatient look. "And there is another consideration, Maiden."

"What?"

"He may not wish to leave."

"Well it's not going to be much fun for him if he stays," Usa argued. "All of the tourists and gawkers looking for a piece of him when all he wants is to be left alone." She clouded up. "I kind of know how that feels sometimes."

"Would you give up being Princess and Sailor Moon for peace and anonymity?" Helios asked her.

"Of course not," sighed Usa. "It's just sometimes I wish I could turn it off."

"He may feel the same way," Helios said. "We do not know what attachment he has to this particular section of lake. Of course I will offer. It may be the perfect solution for him, and Mother will gladly welcome him to the realm of the Dreaming." His hand brushed her bangs and then caressed the side of her face. "But you must prepare yourself for the possibility that he refuses."

"There's always a catch to EVERYTHING," moaned the Princess, pressing her forehead down on the dream guardian's shoulder. "Still, it's more than I've managed to come up with. Let's go find this dragon and ask him what he wants to do."

The couple turned and headed south along the lake shore.

"You knew he was here the whole time, didn't you?" Usa asked suddenly.

"I did," Helios admitted.

"And you didn't tell me?" she howled.

"I respected the dragon's wish for privacy," Helios explained. Then he grew a mischievous smile. "Did you wish me to violate that wish in order to quench the needs of your curiosity?"

Usa looked at him peevishly. "Not - - funny," she grumbled.

* * *

"And now everybody knows you're here," Pallas finished her explanation of what had happened. "Pallas is sorry. Maybe if she'd never have come in the first place, this wouldn't have happened."

"I also would not have met you, Pallas," the dragon responded. Pallas looked up to him, surprised and amazed. "You are one of the most innocent, most guile-less humans I have ever encountered. I find your honesty and your child-like simplicity quite enchanting."

"Are you saying that you like Pallas?" she asked, not totally comprehending the words the dragon used.

"I am," the dragon nodded. "I found myself missing you after you had gone. And I am happy that you are back."

"But Pallas thought that you wanted to be left alone."

"Most humans are at best irrelevant to my existence and at worst an irritant," the dragon tried to explain. "I choose to remain apart from them because I am better off without them, and due to my size and my fearsome appearance, they are usually better off without me. I do not mind being alone. Often it is preferable.

"But it is different with you, Pallas," he continued. "You bring something to me that I do not experience with other humans."

"What's that?" Pallas asked.

"You bring me joy," the dragon answered, surprising himself as much as he surprised Pallas. "I cannot explain this feeling, but being in your presence brings me great joy. The attention of the outside world is an annoyance, but it is worth enduring because it gave me the opportunity to meet you."

"Aww! You're so nice!" grinned Pallas. "Pallas likes you, too! She can sense what a nice person you are, even if you're not really a person. And when she peeks into your head, she can see some of the things you've seen and some of the things you've done. You're very smart, Mr. Dragon-Sir. And you've seen so much, but you're not bossy or stuck up. Pallas is very glad she met you, too!"

The moment between them was suddenly interrupted. Pallas stopped talking and turned toward the far end of the clearing. She had a suspicious frown on her face. The dragon picked up on it instantly.

"Is someone coming?" the dragon asked.

"Four men," Pallas reported, her eyes locked ahead. "They're scared of you. They want to do something mean."

"They shall have to find me first," the dragon surmised and began to slip behind his cloak of invisibility.

Moments later a hover car pulled into the clearing. Several men got out. Two were in their forties, while the other two were in their twenties. All were Japanese and all were armed with pipes, gardening tools and other makeshift weapons, since guns were banned in Japan by decree of the Queen. They looked around warily until one spotted Sailor Pallas. They approached her as a group.

"Where's the dragon?" the lead actor asked. He was forty-five, dressed casually and would have seemed to be a local resident to Pallas if her thought process went along those lines.

"You need to leave," Pallas said defiantly.

"Bet she's the one who attacked the kids," said the other older man. "Why are you protecting this thing?"

"Mr. Dragon-Sir is nice and he just wants to be left alone," Pallas told him.

"It's a dragon!" barked one of the younger members. "What are we supposed to do, just sit back until it eats us all?"

"Mr. Dragon-Sir wouldn't eat you!" Pallas shot back angrily. "That's just dumb! You're dumb!"

"How do you know it won't eat anyone?" the youth argued. "That thing could be dangerous!"

"Pallas can hear other people's thoughts with her head!" Pallas fumed. "She heard that Mr. Dragon-Sir eats sunshine! He doesn't eat people! She heard it with her head! Just like she can hear that you want to kill Mr. Dragon-Sir! Well Pallas won't let you!"

"You going to attack us the way you attacked Sumire and the others?" snarled the leader of the group. And the thought flashed into the Senshi's mind that Sumire was the girl with the two other teens from earlier and the leader's daughter.

"Pallas didn't hurt anyone! She's fibbing!" Pallas spat.

"Yeah, like you didn't hurt that news truck," scoffed the younger member of the group.

"This is a peaceful community and we're going to keep it that way! We don't want that dragon around here! And we don't want you around here, either! Now where is it?" the leader demanded. He reached out with his free hand and seized Pallas by the shoulder.

"Beautiful Incantation!" Pallas screamed.

A telekinetic force exploded from the Senshi and struck the leader, knocking him to the ground. The man lay in the grass, stunned. Spurred by this, the rest of the pack surged at Pallas. Out of self-defense, she telekinetically grabbed the pipe in the hands of one of the younger men. When he refused to surrender it, she lifted it into the air, the man still clinging to it. While the two lead assailants had been dealt with momentarily, the other older man slashed at Pallas with a pronged rake on a long pole. Pallas was barely able to deflect the swing.

She wasn't able to deflect the other young man swinging a wooden limb broken down into a small club. The wood clipped her a glancing blow on the side of her head. Pallas twisted to the ground and lay crumpled in a heap.

"Takeshi!" one of the group shouted to the young man with the club. He looked to the sound of the voice, away from the fallen Sailor Pallas, to the looming form behind him. Towering over the club-wielding youth was the dragon, now fully revealed to everyone. Takeshi stared up at him, the wooden limb in his hand suddenly and dramatically inadequate for the desired task. The dragon stared down at them as Pallas struggled to get to her feet.

"Gods!" gasped the leader of the group, now back on his feet.

"Begone," rumbled the dragon, drawing even more shock and surprise from the locals confronting it. "I vow I will do you no harm if you leave now. But you must leave NOW!"

Turning away from them, the dragon reached out for Sailor Pallas.

"Pallas, are you injured badly?" the dragon asked.

"LEAVE HER ALONE, MONSTER!" raged the leader. He swung his pipe at the arm, then dodged away from the anticipated counterattack.

"Fiery Incantation!" Pallas cried out, still holding her head with one hand.

Her pyrokinesis went awry, though, and ignited the tree limb being brandished as a club. Takeshi jumped with surprise at the torch he suddenly held, then regained his wits and lobbed the torch at the dragon. The torch bounced off of his side, eliciting a roar of pain from the creature, then fell to the bank and began to catch the grass on fire.

The dragon turned away, seemingly about to flee. But the creature's long, scaly tail suddenly emerged from the water and slammed down on the grass clearing. As water overflowed from the lake and put out the fire, the group of men scattered to avoid being crushed by the dragon's massive tail.

"Come on! We've got to find something stronger to fight this thing with!" the leader yelled to the others. Quickly the four men retreated back to their hover car and sped off.

By now Pallas was up. Still holding her head, she hurried over to the bank to be with her friend.

"Pallas, how badly are you injured?" the dragon asked, his hissing voice dripping with concern.

"Pallas just has a boo-boo. She'll be OK," the Senshi told him. "But Mr. Dragon-Sir got burned! Does it hurt bad?"

"My scales protect me from harm. I reacted more from the shock of the pain than from any lasting damage," the dragon assured her. Then he sighed. "But I fear my time in this spot has come to an end. How sad that nothing can last forever - - except, it sometimes seems, myself."

"You're leaving?" Pallas groaned.

"I must, Pallas," he told her. "Otherwise more incidents like this one will come. I have no wish to fight with humans over so trivial a thing as a spot on a bank."

"Take Pallas with you!" the Senshi exclaimed.

"What?"

"Take Pallas with you! Pallas needs to protect you! Pallas doesn't want to see you hurt anymore!"

"Pallas, you . . ."

"PLEASE!"

The dragon looked at her indecisively. Then he bent down to the shore.

"Can you climb upon my back?" he asked. Pallas scampered up onto the dragon and sat astride the creature's neck between two bony ridges. "Hold on. I will fly slowly to accommodate you."

Walking along the shore of the lake, Usa and Helios approached what they thought was the clearing where Pallas's dragon resided. Her hope was that the dragon would accept the offer Helios would make and everything could be resolved peacefully.

The last thing she expected to see was the dragon flying off toward the west with Sailor Pallas riding on his back.

Continued in Chapter 8


	8. Fugitive

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 8: "Fugitive"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"By the Gods!" Usa whispered, her amazement stealing her voice. The Princess and her lover looked up to see a huge dragon flying west across Lake Biwa. Sitting astride the dragon's neck was Sailor Pallas.

"Look, Maiden," Helios redirected her attention to the grass in the clearing. "Burned grass; and the grass has been recently trampled. I fear a confrontation has taken place here recently."

"Transform into Pegasus!" Usa said quickly. "Moon Eternal Make Up!"

"Maiden," Helios began.

"Now, Helios! Pallas may be a hostage!"

Exhaling, Helios transformed into his winged unicorn form. Instantly Sailor Moon was on his back and the steed pushed off into the sky, spreading his magnificent white wings.

"I implore you, Maiden," Pegasus thought back to his rider. "Do not jump to conclusions in this matter."

"I'm trying not to," Sailor Moon replied. "They may be working together, either fleeing the confrontation or pursuing whoever attacked them. But whatever's happening, I want to know so I can back Pallas up if she needs it."

"Of course, Maiden," Pegasus thought to her. "Forgive me for doubting you. Will you be calling the others?"

"I should," she fretted, "but I don't know how Ves will react to something like this. I'll make that decision when I know more." She leaned forward to give Helios more speed. "Hopefully it won't be too late."

Pallas and the dragon were over open water now, the campsite of the forest far in the distance. All Pallas could see ahead was water and sky. The dragon continued in a west-northwest heading.

"How is your injury, Pallas?" the dragon asked as it flew.

"It hurts when Pallas touches it," Pallas said.

"Then I suggest you do not touch it."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Dragon-Sir. Pallas will do that," the Senshi chirped. "Where are we going? Does Mr. Dragon-Sir know?"

"Are you familiar with Chikubu Island?" the dragon asked.

"No," Pallas replied. "Pallas isn't very smart and she doesn't know places too well. Is it nice?"

"I think so. It resembles the clearing in which you first met me. The water is soft and the forests are thick. Plus there is ample sun, so I may feed on its rays with no trouble."

"Are there people there?"

"There are some clusters of humans there," the dragon responded. "But the island is big enough so that humans and dragons coexist - - so long as we dragons stay behind our cloaks."

"You mean how you make it so nobody can see you?" Pallas asked. "How do you do that? Oopsie, Pallas is sorry. She's being nosy again. Cere-Cere says that's not nice."

"I have nothing to hide from you, Pallas," the dragon replied, almost smiling. "As much as we dragons have an affinity with the water, for we are originally creatures of the water, we also have an affinity with the sun. The rays of the sun nourish us. When we do this, we absorb the rays of the sun and they do not reflect from us. And things that do not reflect light cannot be seen. Does that explain it so that you understand, Pallas?"

"No," Pallas squeaked. "Pallas told you she wasn't very smart."

"Ah, Pallas," the dragon chuckled. "You are far smarter than you think. You lured me into demonstrating what a pompous windbag I can be."

"Um, Pallas is sorry?" the Senshi said. Then she pointed suddenly. "Lookee! An island! Is that the island you were talking about?"

"It is," her companion replied. "Hold on. I must find a place that both satisfies my needs and is far enough away from the inhabitants so another incident is not inspired."

The dragon flew along the coast of Chikubu Island. Pallas looked it over from atop the dragon. There was a small port town with a ferry near the east coast, and though the island was thick with forest, resorts and shrines dotted the terrain. She wondered if her friend would be able to find a place far enough away from humanity.

Dipping casually, the dragon glided down to a clearing near the forest, a small cove under a five foot bluff.

"We are here, Pallas," the dragon said, bending so that his head and neck were against the bluff while his lower torso and tail dipped into the waters of Lake Biwa. "You may climb off me."

Pallas did so. As she returned to solid ground, the Senshi looked around nervously.

"It is not what I am used to," the dragon commented, "but it will suffice for the present time."

"Um, Mr. Dragon-Sir," Pallas spoke up, clearly nervous. "Pallas can hear other thoughts. We're not alone. And Pallas don't think she likes us."

* * *

"Boy, some vacation," sighed Jun. She sat on the porch step of one of the cabins, her chin in her hands, staring longingly at the lake.

"Well, it's not like Palla-Palla intentionally went looking for a dragon," Cere mumbled. Jun glanced over and saw her sister was texting a message, no doubt to Hiroki. "Go in the water. Everybody knows you want to."

"I want to be ready in case something happens," Jun responded. "I'm not sure how it would look if I had to go into battle in a bikini plastered to my body."

"Mmm," Cere said distantly.

"Can't you go five minutes without contacting him?" Jun asked sourly.

"Yes!" Cere responded indignantly. "I just don't want to. Just because you're bored doesn't mean I have to be." She continued to type on her PDA. "If you recall, I didn't want to come on this trip in the first place." Cere waited for a response, but there was none. "Come on, Hiroki! Answer!"

"He's probably painting," Jun grunted.

"He BETTER be painting," Cere scowled.

Just then Hotaru ran up to the cabin from the path behind them. She was wearing her warm ups, in black of course, and was coated with perspiration. As the two waiting girls glanced at her, Hotaru slowed to a stop and braced against the banister, sucking air.

"How much did you do?" Jun asked.

"Just a mile," wheezed Hotaru. "I would have gone more," she gasped, "but my stupid monitor," and she swallowed, "went off."

"It's just as well," Cere said distantly as she began another text message. "You don't want to overdo it and hurt yourself again."

Hotaru glanced at Jun. "Hiroki?"

"Who else?" Jun sighed.

"Jealousy ill becomes you, Jun," Cere sniffed.

"What jealousy? I don't say anything about Hotaru and Yutaka."

"Oh that reminds me! I have to text Yutaka!" Hotaru exclaimed, pulling out her PDA. Cere gave Jun a triumphant smile.

At once, the news alert signal went off on both Cere's PDA and Hotaru's. They each pressed the button to engage the alert while Jun strained to see.

"It's that reporter and his dragon story again," Cere frowned. "He's got some local, too." Cere listened. "The local is saying he was attacked by the dragon! And one of the Senshi!"

"Uh oh," Jun swallowed.

"But that shouldn't be!" Hotaru protested. "Both Hino-Sensei and Mizuno-Sensei said the dragon wasn't a threat!"

"And Palla-Palla wouldn't act unless she felt she or the dragon were being threatened," Jun added. "There's more to this than they're saying."

At that moment, Hotaru's Senshi Communicator signaled. She engaged it and brought it up to eye level.

"Hotaru, what's going on over there?" asked King Endymion. Hotaru instantly tensed. "I just saw this latest news stream about the dragon attacking someone? And now I can't raise Usa."

"We just saw the report, too, Your Majesty," Hotaru replied. "We were thinking that there must be more to the incident that's being reported - - that the dragon and Palla-Palla were defending themselves. As for Usa, she and Helios went for a walk. I hope nothing happened to them!"

Endymion considered his next action. "This situation seems to be getting out of control. Even if this dragon is innocent, its presence is causing some consternation among the local population. You and the Asteroids focus on finding Usa. I'm sending in a detail of CDP officers to restore order and keep this situation from escalating further. It's a possibility that this dragon may have to move." He thought for a moment. "Call me if you find Usa. I want to talk to her."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Hotaru nodded. When the call ended, Hotaru looked at the others anxiously.

"We heard," Jun told her. "Where do you think the Pr . . . um, Usa is? Think something happened?"

"I hope not," Hotaru replied.

"I'll call Artemis and see if he can trace Usa," Cere said.

Hotaru engaged her communicator, too. "Ves? You need to come back to the cabins. We've got a mission."

"On my way!" was the reply over the communicator.

"Palla-Palla?" Hotaru inquired, engaging the communicator again. But there was no response. "Palla-Palla, come in!" Again nothing. Hotaru looked anxiously at the other two and got the same look from them.

"Ves is going to love this," Cere said ominously. "Artemis, can you make that two tracers?"

* * *

"Why did you not answer the communicator summons, Maiden?" Pegasus thought as he and his rider flew over the northwest end of Lake Biwa.

"It was Pop," Sailor Moon answered, her vision locked ahead of her. "I don't have time to listen to a lecture right now."

"You assume his intent was to lecture," Pegasus gently chided her.

"Yeah, I guess so," Sailor Moon surrendered softly. "I'll call him back after we find Pallas and find out what happened." On they flew. "Are you sure she went this way?"

"Reasonably, Maiden," Pegasus responded. "I have no means to sense her while she is awake, but I am able to sense the dragon. And I sense one up ahead." Pegasus thought a moment as he flew. "No, I sense two."

"Two?" gasped Sailor Moon. "Of course. Why would there be only one?" She squinted as she stared forward. "I see an island ahead. Suppose they went there?"

"That is where I am sensing the dragons, Maiden."

"OK, when we approach, try to go in high so we can survey the terrain without being seen," Sailor Moon advised her steed. "I don't want to spook whatever's down there until I know what's going on."

With that, Pegasus climbed into the sky. His speed slowed as they approached Chikubu Island. A tourist happened to glance up as they flew over a resort on the southeast side of the island. She pointed up, catching the attention of others on the veranda just outside the resort. Excitedly the people all waved.

"There was no excitement down there before they spotted me, and Pallas would have attracted attention," Sailor Moon mused. "And the dragon would naturally head for the denser forest over on the south side of the island."

Pegasus banked left without being asked. Sailor Moon patted him on the neck.

"Maiden!" Pegasus thought suddenly. "There by the bank; I see the dragon!"

"Damn, that's a big creature!" Sailor Moon gasped. "And Pallas is there on the bank! Can you circle over this area without being spotted?"

"I will try, Maiden," Pegasus thought to her and began circling. Sailor Moon studied the scene intently, trying to ascertain if Pallas needed immediate assistance. Down on the ground, Sailor Pallas was looking around nervously. She continued to sense hostile thoughts from an unseen source. The dragon looked around.

"Forgive my trespass," he said to no one in particular. "I merely seek shelter. I did not know this bank was occupied." There was no response. "This is my friend, Pallas. She means you no harm." Still no response, but Pallas continued to be bombarded by thoughts of suspicion and contempt. "You need not keep your cloak up. She is gifted and can sense your thoughts. She knows you are here and she senses your mistrust."

To the dragon's left, another dragon slipped out from behind its cloak of invisibility. This dragon was smaller than Pallas's friend, though no less menacing. She glared at the dragon with unconcealed fury, so much so that both Pallas and the male dragon were taken aback.

"Please forgive the intrusion," he offered. "I only sought a new home. I was forced to abandon my old home because I was discovered by humans and I did not wish to suffer their fear and paranoia."

"So you bring a human to discover mine?" she snarled. "Am I to be grateful?"

"Please, Miss Dragon-Ma'am," Pallas began. The creature whirled on her.

"SILENCE!" she raged. "There is nothing in the universe that a human could possibly say that I could possibly be interested in!"

"Your rage and suspicion are unnecessary," he told her, edging over so that he could come between her and Pallas if warranted. "Pallas is not your enemy."

"All humans are our enemy," she sneered.

"No, Ma'am, Pallas doesn't want to hurt you!" Pallas shouted. "Pallas is Mr. Dragon-Sir's friend! And she'll be your friend if you let her! Pallas only wants to help!"

"You can help by leaving!" she shot back, leaning in for emphasis.

Before any other response could be made, both dragons looked up into the air. Pallas followed and saw Sailor Moon diving into the situation on Pegasus, the Moon Tier out and pointed at the smaller dragon.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon shouted. Pink energy shot out from the Moon Tier and lunged at the smaller dragon. She tried to avoid it, but the pink energy was on her in moments, twisting around her. She writhed and fought to escape, but the pink energy held firm. Quickly her movements became sluggish. Finally she surrendered to the soothing crystal energy, flopping onto the bank near Pallas. Her mouth pulled back into a lazy smile, revealing sharp teeth, and her eyes drooped. As the pink energy dissipated, she let out a contented sigh.

Pegasus landed near some trees. Like a shot, Sailor Moon was off of him and advancing toward the other dragon, her Moon Tier pointed and ready to use. But Pallas jumped in front of her.

"No, Princess!" Pallas exclaimed. "Please don't hurt Mr. Dragon-Sir! He's Pallas's friend!"

"But it looked like he carried you off," Sailor Moon argued.

"Pallas went with him! Pallas had to protect him!" Pallas told her, on the verge of tears. "Some bad men tried to hurt him! Pallas had to protect him! He's her friend!"

"OK, OK, I get it," Sailor Moon tried to calm her. She glanced at the dragon. "I apologize if I overreacted. So what's this one's deal?"

"She is suspicious of humans," the dragon responded, his hissing voice sending chills up the Senshi's spine. "Perhaps she only knows them from our legends and mistrusts your kind from myth. She is young. Perhaps she has had an actual bad experience and mistrusts you for that reason."

"Yeah, I could imagine that happening," Sailor Moon nodded. "Given that this island is populated, it must be a constant fear for her."

"A concern, perhaps," the dragon corrected her. "We do not fear humans. We fear the reaction our appearance and history inspires in you."

"So you're OK? You didn't get hurt in whatever happened?" Sailor Moon asked. The dragon shook his head. "And you're OK, Pallas? That's a pretty nasty cut on the side of your head."

"Pallas is fine, Princess. Pallas just has the one boo-boo and it doesn't even hurt much anymore, thank you very much."

"And you were going to resettle here?" Sailor Moon asked the dragon.

"That was my original intent," he replied. "But this area is inhabited, and if she wishes me to leave, I must do so. Perhaps there is another part of the island I may rest in. The south side of the island would have been preferable in the winter, but I will not impose myself on anyone else."

"Maybe Mr. Dragon-Sir could live in the palace in Crystal Tokyo?" Pallas hinted hopefully.

"Yeah, right. Luna would have ten fits," Sailor Moon chuckled. "Not happening, Pallas. But we were coming to find you because of just that situation." Sailor Moon glanced behind her and, as if sensing the situation, Helios was there. Together they faced the dragon.

"I am Helios, Guardian of Pleasant Dreams and Lord of the Realm of Elysian," Helios said, his grand words spoken with a charming humility. "It is within my power as Lord to offer you sanctuary in that magical realm. You may come and live out your days in a place much like this one, safe from the fear and violence you inspire within human minds. What say you, Dragon?"

The dragon looked down thoughtfully at Helios. He considered the offer as Sailor Moon waited hopefully.

"It is a kind and generous offer," the dragon replied finally, "but one I fear I must refuse."

Continued in Chapter 9


	9. Fear Factor

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 9: "Fear Factor"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Moon's shoulders slumped. The dragon had just rejected the offer Helios made of sanctuary for him in Elysian. And it had seemed like the perfect solution, too. Why, she wondered, did peace-making have to be so difficult?

"I am disappointed," Helios responded, "but I will respect your decision. May I inquire as to why you choose not to come to Elysian?"

"I am a creature of this world, Dream Guardian," the dragon explained. "I am tethered to this world, spiritually as well as physically. Were I to go somewhere else, even to a paradise such as you describe this Elysian to be, I would soon wither and die. Were it possible for dragons to leave this world, we would have done so long ago. But this Earth is our mother, our source of sustenance, and we cannot leave."

"Then please don't leave!" Pallas wailed. "Pallas doesn't want you to die! And Pallas would miss you terribly!"

The dragon seemed to smile as he glanced at Pallas. "And that is another reason why I cannot leave. I would not wish to cause Pallas such distress."

"Well, that's appreciated," Sailor Moon said, clearly frustrated. "But that doesn't come close to solving this problem."

Out of the corner of her eye, Sailor Moon noticed the female dragon beginning to stir. Turning, she faced the dragon, Moon Tier in hand. The dragon seemed to wobble a little as she raised up to full height. Her eyes took a moment to focus. When she could see clearly, she stared directly at Sailor Moon.

"What did you do to me?" she asked. "While I will confess it was - - quite pleasant - - it was also quite incapacitating. Do not do that to me again."

"Keep your temper and I won't have to," Sailor Moon replied. "I apologize for intruding on your territory. As soon as we get this sorted out, we'll leave."

Before the dragon could respond, Pallas stepped forward.

"Please, Miss Dragon-Ma'am, please let Mr. Dragon-Sir stay here!" she pleaded. "He doesn't have anywhere else to go! And he's very nice and you'll like him a lot! Please don't make him go! Please . . .!"

Before Pallas could finish, the female slipped behind her cloak of invisibility. Pallas stopped and stared, fearing it meant a refusal. She was about to renew her efforts when Sailor Moon put her hand on the Senshi's shoulder and signaled for quiet. The male dragon slipped behind his cloak, too.

Moments later, a CDP observation drone appeared over the top of the trees. It cut its altitude so that it was eye level with Sailor Moon and hovered before her.

"Hello, Princess Usagi," the drone said, a CDP local officer speaking through the drone's communication system. "We're honored to have you here on Chikubu Island. Is there a problem we can assist you with?"

* * *

When the CDP contingent of ten officers arrived in their hover truck from the station in Nagahama, they didn't know what to expect; only that they had orders to subdue any violence, disperse any belligerent groups and maintain order. They didn't expect what they found.

Several locals were setting fire to some trees on the bank of Lake Biwa in a small clearing south of some resort cabins. The locals turned when they heard the hover truck pull up. Some went back to burning more trees while the rest watched the CDP squad suspiciously.

"Hashimoto, get those fires out!" ordered the squad commander. An officer pulled out a PDA and began typing instructions. "The rest of you, disperse this mob!"

"Leave us be!" shouted one of the mob. He was the man from earlier, the father of the teen girl. "There's a dragon here and we're going to burn it out!"

"You will drop your weapons and disperse!" the CDP commander ordered. "You are in violation of several local and national ordinances!" The squad of officers advanced on the mob. Two of them, brandishing limbs used as torches, held the torches out in front of them to keep the CDP at bay.

Overhead, a CDP drone flew over the tops of the trees. Detecting the fires, it advanced until it was hovering over the nearest burning tree and began spraying chemical fire retardant on the flames.

"Don't put it out! There's a dragon there!" bellowed the mob leader. "I've seen it! It attacked me! Attacked my daughter! We've got to burn it out! It's afraid of fire!"

"I was directed to restore peace to this area and to disperse or restrain anyone causing a disruption," the commander replied. "Put those torches out and disperse."

"No!" the man shouted. "We're not going to let this thing lurk around here, waiting to pick us off one by one! We've got to destroy it! At least drive it off! The safety of our families is at stake!"

"Drive what off?" the commander demanded.

"The dragon! Haven't you seen the news streams?"

"I've seen them," the commander said. "So far, though, I haven't seen any evidence beyond a few eavesdropped conversations and some dubious witness testimony. I don't see a dragon. All I see are some burned trees and grass."

"It can turn invisible!" bellowed the man.

"Then how do you know it's here?"

The local man stared, his eyes bulging, trying to come up with a response and failing. By now several CDP officers were forced to use their shock clubs to disarm others in the group. The leader's shoulders slumped. His jaw clenched in frustration. He allowed the CDP commander to relieve him of his torch.

"Go home," the commander advised him. "The palace is aware of this situation. If there was a danger, Queen Serenity or the Sailor Senshi would be dealing with it."

"That's what they said before the Dark Moon Invasion," muttered the local.

The man trudged off, followed by the others in the group. As the CDP watched them go and began setting up a command post, the commander glanced back at the bank of the clearing. There were six scorched or burned trees and burned grass back some twenty feet from the bank. If a dragon had been living here, the commander mused, it wouldn't want to now.

* * *

"Thank you, Commander," Endymion said from his chair in his office. "You handled the situation as best you could. Maintain the status quo until further instructions." Breaking the connection, Endymion sat back in his chair. "Now if only my daughter would call."

"Artemis did inform you of her location, didn't he?" Luna asked.

"Yes," Endymion replied. "I can't imagine what's happening on Chikubu Island, but whatever it is, she can probably handle it. I just hate not knowing."

"The burden of parenting," Luna commented. "Your Majesty, were you aware of Dr. Mizuno's intent to post her findings on this dragon she scanned?"

"No, I wasn't," Endymion straightened up. He got up out of his chair and headed for the door, cloak sweeping behind him. "Maybe I need to have a word with Ami."

The King entered the Senshi lab on the first floor of the palace. He found Ami furiously typing on a crystal pad, surrounded by a dozen virtual reality screens. The woman was so focused on what she was putting into the database and the extrapolations her artificial intelligence programs were making that she didn't even notice his approach. Endymion looked at the screens. He recognized some of them as biological and zoological analysis, but much of the science was beyond him.

"Oh, Endymion!" Ami exclaimed when she finally noticed him standing next to her. "Look at this information! This is a completely new genus! I can trace some of the evolutionary genetics back to the Species Plethodontidae, but it's as if there was a large evolutionary lurch in the past, with one branch becoming the common salamander and this branch mutating into, well, this! It's so fascinating!"

"Ami," Endymion began.

"Look at the anatomy scans!" Ami continued, pointing to a screen. "Breathing apparatus similar to both the North American salamander AND the African crocodile! Amphibian lungs and the ability to filter oxygen through the skin, allowing it to breathe under water and on the surface! And the bony exterior resembles the crocodile as well! I wonder if somehow some DNA randomly mutated to resemble the crocodile, but I would have to study this for years to even begin to guess what could have caused it!"

"That's nice," Endymion said. "Ami . . ."

"Did you know they subsist on light energy absorbed through the skin and converted to energy through photosynthesis?" Ami marveled. "There's no other creature on the planet who can do that! Imagine if the genetic sequence could be mapped and transferred to other living beings? No one would starve so long as the sun shone!"

"Ami."

"And flight!" Ami exclaimed. "If anecdotal legend is to be believed, these creatures are capable of flight! But there are no wings! No visible means of propulsion or defiance of gravity! How? How do they do it?" She gazed at the screens, enraptured. "Oh, it's such a grand puzzle."

"Ami," Endymion said, putting his hand on her shoulder. The woman turned and looked at him, her glasses perched on her nose. "I heard that you plan to post this information on the net?"

"Of course!" Ami gasped. "This is the discovery of the decade! It's an entirely new genus of life form, unknown for decades, perhaps centuries! Knowledge such as this must be shared with the world!"

"Because you think everyone is going to accept the existence of dragons in our midst calmly and benignly?"

"Well, of course not," Ami sobered, adjusting her glasses on her face. "Despite your and Serenity's efforts to eradicate fear and prejudice in the world, there are still those who react to the unknown by allowing their baser instincts to rule them. That's an unfortunate conclusion of modern psychological thinking." She stopped, as if hearing her own words for the first time. "You think publishing this information will create hysteria within communities located on large bodies of water."

"It's already happened," Endymion informed her. "CDP had to quell an incident on Lake Biwa because some locals were incited by the news streams. Right now there's enough lack of tangible proof so that most people will be skeptical or dismissive of the reports. But posting your findings would give those reports scientific credence and such incidents could possibly multiply."

The implication was clear to Ami. The woman looked visibly stricken and Endymion sympathized with her.

"You don't know what you're asking me to do," Ami squeaked. "To suppress knowledge goes against my beliefs. I understand why you're asking me to do this. But compliance just feels wrong." She looked up at him. "As if we're bowing to the superiority of ignorance."

"I think I understand what I'm asking more than you think I do," Endymion replied. "Don't think I haven't considered just what you put into words. I'm balancing that against the safety of the people, the safety of the dragons and the safety of the environment they exist in."

Ami looked back at the information displayed all around her.

"I won't forbid you publishing this information, Ami," Endymion said. "You know how I feel and you know the situation. And I know that you're someone I trust to analyze a situation and determine what course is best. So I'll leave the decision up to you."

With that, he turned and left, leaving behind a woman on the horns of a dilemma.

* * *

"No," Sailor Moon told the drone hovering in front of her. "We were just, um, looking around. My Senshi and I are here on a little vacation and I heard how nice the forests of Chikubu Island are. So I flew over to see them."

"I see," the CDP officer relayed through the drone. "If you wish, the drone can act as a guide for you, since you aren't familiar with these woods."

"No, that's all right," Sailor Moon responded quickly. "I wouldn't want to take it away from its patrols just to cater to me. I can manage."

The drone gained altitude until it reached its programmed flight plan, then sped off. Sailor Moon watched it leave, then exhaled as Pallas approached.

"The Princess fibbed!" gasped Pallas.

"Well, did you want me to tell it the truth?" Sailor Moon asked.

"No," Pallas squeaked. "But isn't fibbing bad?"

"Situational ethics, Pallas," Sailor Moon sighed. "I'll - - try to explain it to you when we get back home."

"You see?" the female dragon hissed as she slid from behind her cloak of invisibility. "Already your presence risks exposure for me! Leave this place and say nothing of what you saw here!"

"Again I apologize for intruding," the male dragon said, reappearing near Pallas. "I will do as you ask."

"Wait," she said suddenly, then hesitated. "I am not so cruel as to turn you out. You have no place to stay. This is a large bank." She struggled with the next words. "And you seem very well-spoken and wise. Perhaps," she sighed, "perhaps I could learn from you - - from your experience."

"Your offer is quite generous," the male replied. "But would not the presence of Pallas and her friends upset you and threaten to expose you to the world?"

"Of course," she answered without hesitation. "I would much prefer they stay away permanently."

The male seemed saddened. "Then I cannot stay."

"Why not?" the female gasped. "Your association with these humans has already exposed you once and will continue to do so! Do you wish no peace?"

"I do," the male replied. "But not if it comes at the expense of my friendship with Pallas. If you accept me, you accept that Pallas will at least visit me, and possibly stay. You do not wish that and I will not force you to accept those terms." He turned to Pallas. "Please climb upon me, Pallas, for we must leave."

"But why?" whined Pallas. "This is a nice place for you! You'll like it here, Mr. Dragon-Sir!" She sniffed. "If-if Pallas promises to stay away, then you can stay here and be happy!"

"But if you promise to stay away," he asked, "then how will I be happy?"

Pallas lunged forward and wrapped her arms around the dragon's snout as far as they would go, pressing her face against the scaly hide.

"Pallas is so very glad she met you," the Senshi sobbed, "but she wishes she never had! Then nobody would have found you and you'd be safe and happy!"

"The strife was worth it, Pallas."

Again the female slipped behind her shroud of invisibility. Alerted by this, Sailor Moon glanced up at the sky. She found the other Senshi approaching, the three astride Vesta as she mimicked the form of a winged horse. As they landed, Pallas and the dragon looked at them. As they dismounted, the Senshi looked at Pallas and the dragon, their eyes bulging. Vesta transformed back into a human. She looked like she wanted to charge them, but she was able to hold back. Her anger, though, was another matter.

"What the Hell are you doing running off like that, Pallas?" Vesta demanded. "You scared the life out of me when we couldn't raise you!"

"Pallas is sorry, Vesta," the Senshi said contritely. "But she was busy protecting Mr. Dragon-Sir and she didn't have time to call."

Vesta glared, first at her and then at the dragon, who met her gaze calmly. "OK," she grunted.

"Is there trouble, Sailor Moon?" Saturn asked. "We got worried when we heard the palace couldn't raise you."

"Nothing new," she sighed. "Just the same old trouble; how do you keep a secret that doesn't want to stay secret?"

"Sailor Moon," the dragon began, "I appreciate all your efforts on my behalf. It is heartening to know that there are some who can look past the exterior and see the being within. But you have expended too much of your time and energy assisting me. I have been forced to search for new homes before. I am quite capable of doing so again."

"You're sure?" Sailor Moon asked. "I kind of feel responsible, since we were the ones who outed you in the first place. And I have a whole lot of resources at my disposal. It might make things easier."

"Or more difficult," the dragon replied. "Your intentions are noble, but you do attract attention."

"He's got you there," Saturn grinned sadly.

"I would make one request," the dragon ventured. "Please allow Pallas to accompany me as we tour Lake Biwa in search of a new home for me. I promise no harm shall come to her and she may return at any time. But I would like her company - - and her counsel."

"Well," Sailor Moon sighed, "that's up to Pallas, I suppose." They all glanced at her.

Pallas looked down. She looked at the dragon. She looked at Vesta and the other Asteroids. Her lip began to tremble.

"Maybe Pallas could go with Mr. Dragon-Sir," she murmured shyly, "just until he finds a new home? She does like being with him. I-Is that OK, Vesta?"

Vesta's jaw tightened. She felt a hand close on her shoulder and looked: it was Ceres. Vesta inhaled.

"Yeah," she coughed out. "I guess so." Then she jabbed her finger at Pallas. "But if you get into ANY trouble, YOU CALL ME! UNDERSTAND?"

"Yes, Vesta," Pallas smiled.

As everyone watched Pallas and Vesta, Saturn nudged Sailor Moon.

"Call your dad," she advised her friend. "He's worried. And he's got some news on what's happening."

"Yeah, I guess I have to," sighed Sailor Moon. She pulled up her Senshi Communicator and punched in the King. Endymion picked up immediately.

"Well thank you for finding time for me, Honey," Endymion said with that tone of imperial sarcasm that she knew him for. Sailor Moon blew at her bangs in frustration.

Pallas climbed up onto the neck of the dragon. As the dragon began to rise into the air, she waved at all of her fellow Senshi. They all waved back except Vesta; Vesta just stared nervously, her entire body one clenched fist. The dragon continued to rise.

It was then they saw it. A small drone hovering nearby, recording the entire scene and transmitting it to a small launch a mile from the island shore.

Continued in Chapter 10


	10. Unwanted Attention

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 10: "Unwanted Attention"

A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Pallas, astride the dragon she had befriended, spotted the hovering drone just as her fellow Senshi did. On the island, Sailor Moon was in communication with her father back in Crystal Tokyo.

"And we followed Pallas to Chikubu Island," she explained. "We were hoping we could resettle the dragon here. Apparently there was a dust-up . . ."

"Sailor Moon!" her father broke in sharply. "I'm getting a news stream from your area. Is that Sailor Pallas riding on a dragon's neck?"

Cursing softly, Sailor Moon looked up. She quickly spotted the drone hovering near them, recording everything and, apparently, broadcasting it to anyone in the world watching that news stream. A sinking feeling overtook her.

"Beautiful Incantation!" Pallas called out from atop the dragon. An invisible force crushed the drone, shooting sparks into the dusk-covered sky. The drone, now useless and inert, fell to the water and sank.

"Oh, crap, this just keeps getting worse!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"Sailor Moon," she heard her father say, "I'm dispatching another squad of CDP officers to your location. Hopefully they won't be needed. Meanwhile, please get your Senshi under control."

"Yeah, Pop," Sailor Moon sighed. Moving forward, Sailor Moon brushed past the others and stopped. "PALLAS!" she shouted. "Back here, please!"

Without waiting for a signal from Pallas, the dragon turned and flew back to them. He dipped his tail into the water while his head and neck hovered above them, Pallas still riding on his back.

"Pallas, you can't do that!" Sailor Moon replied, her annoyance escaping in her tone.

"But Pallas has to protect Mr. Dragon-Sir!" whined the Senshi.

"Yeah, what's the problem?" Vesta added. "She didn't hurt nobody! Just that nosy drone!"

"We don't enforce the peace with violence against others if we can avoid it," Sailor Moon told her. Pallas started to protest.

"No, Pallas, she is correct," the dragon hissed. "Initiating violence is no way to peace. It only serves to justify those who are fearful."

"But now everybody knows!" Pallas cried. "How is Mr. Dragon-Sir supposed to be safe now if everybody knows about him?"

"Look, it's almost nightfall," Sailor Moon reasoned. "Why don't you and Pallas see if you can find another spot you want to relocate to. I'll try to talk to those news streamers and see if I can get them to leave you alone."

She glanced at Helios and the Dream Guardian immediately assumed his Pegasus form. With practiced ease, she mounted the winged white horse and was about to take off. But a commotion from the direction of the resort caught everyone's ear.

"There are people coming in this direction," Juno reported, listening to the sounds of the jungle. "Suppose they saw the video stream and recognized the cove?"

"You four try to get rid of them," Sailor Moon told the Senshi, "nicely. If they ask, you're investigating the report, but you don't see any sign of it being accurate." She patted Pegasus on the neck. "Come on, let's see how charming I can be."

Pegasus leaped into the sky, even as Pallas and the dragon flew low to the water, hoping to avoid detection. The remaining Senshi looked at each other.

On the cruiser, the video crew was in the process of preparing another drone to canvas the area. From on deck, they heard the sudden beating of wings. Glancing out of the cabin door, the crew saw a sterling winged horse gently landing on the bow, the vaunted Sailor Moon astride it.

"Sailor Moon," Hideo Akibara said, walking up onto the deck. He hoped to get an interview with possibly the third most famous person on the planet. He also hoped to block her path if she was here to destroy more video equipment. "To what do we owe this visit?"

"I," Sailor Moon scowled, "wanted to apologize on behalf of Sailor Pallas for destroying your video drone. She had no right to do that."

"It's happened before," Akibara replied. "If the company feels it necessary, they'll send a bill to the palace. Was that all you wanted? Or could I prevail upon you to sit for a few questions?"

"Actually, I came to make a statement," Sailor Moon told him. "I imagine you'd like to stream it. I'll take some questions after the statement if you have any."

"Yes!" gasped Akibara. He ushered her into the cruiser's cabin. "Please come in!" He glanced at Pegasus. "Uh, will your mount be all right out here?"

And Pegasus transformed before his eyes into Helios.

"I feel I shall be more comfortable inside," he said to Akibara, following Sailor Moon into the cabin. "Thank you." Akibara just stared for a few moments at the crystal horn growing out of the gentle being's forehead.

Sailor Moon was seated on a bunk in the cabin. Akibara was seated at an angle to her and the video camera was recording them both. Akibara counted down to the camera from three to one.

"We're talking with Sailor Moon, otherwise known as Princess Usagi of the Royal Family," Akibara began. "I understand you have a statement you wish to make?"

"Yes," Sailor Moon exhaled. "Earlier, you may have seen video of - - a dragon. We stumbled onto the dragon by accident here at Lake Biwa. This dragon is not a threat. He is very gentle and very intelligent, and he only wishes to be left alone. According to him, he's lived in Lake Biwa for nearly eleven hundred years, and not once during that span has he attacked or injured a human, or any other creature. Any injury had been the result of fearful reactions from people who overreact to the idea that a dragon has lived among them undetected for so long. I'm telling you now that you have nothing to fear, on my honor as a Senshi and as a member of the Royal Family. He's already been driven from one home and now he's been forced to leave Chikubu Island because we just won't let him exist in peace. So I'm asking the curious among you to respect the wishes of this gentle creature and leave him alone. Please, if the reputation of myself and my family mean anything, respect this wish." She took a breath and turned to Akibara.

"Sailor Moon," Akibara asked, "how long have you known about the existence of this dragon?"

"We just discovered him," she responded. "And quite by accident."

"So how can you be certain that it isn't a threat?"

"Sailor Pallas has the ability to communicate telepathically," she explained. "She looked into his mind and saw he harbors no malice toward anything. But you can see that just by the way he speaks and acts. He's quite charming, actually."

"Were you aware of the incident on the Lake Biwa shore earlier?"

"Yes, this is one of the reason's why I'm speaking out," Sailor Moon said. "That incident was caused by irrational fear. The dragon did nothing to them. In fact, their actions drove him from his home. That's why he was seen flying around Chikubu Island. He just wants a quiet home. He won't bother anybody."

"How does a creature that size not be seen until now?"

"I - - shouldn't answer that," Sailor Moon replied. "He should have some privacy. And that's something I want to emphasize, too. Our curiosity is just as potentially harmful to him as our fear. We don't have any right invading his world in the name of science or the press or even just human curiosity. He's done nothing to us. We owe him that much respect."

"But the public has a right to know."

"And he has a right to be not known," she answered. "Where does one right end and the other begin?"

"Um," Akibara stammered. "Um, is-is this dragon the only one of its kind?"

"Who knows?" Sailor Moon shrugged. "If there are more, I think we should respect them and leave them alone. And if he is the last of his kind, it may be even more imperative to respect his wishes. Thank you."

Taking that as a signal, Akibara cut off the video. He rose with Sailor Moon and Helios as she moved for the door.

"You think I'm responsible, don't you?" he asked. "For what happened on the Lake Biwa shore?"

"I think we all have to do what we think is right," she told him. "And if something bad results from it, we have to shoulder our share of the blame and consider whether we actually did the right thing. I'm not here to judge you. I'm here to get this situation as close to the old status quo as I can with as little stress as possible."

Out on the bow of the ship, Helios transformed into Pegasus and he and his mount were quickly off. As they flew, Sailor Moon felt her communicator signal.

"Oh, Honey!" Queen Serenity squealed over the communicator. "That speech you gave was just so wonderful! I am so proud of you!"

"Thanks, Mom," Sailor Moon choked out as her cheeks flushed. "I just hope it did some good."

* * *

Back at the cove, a collection of a dozen tourists and natives of the island were at the edge of the woods, pushing to see the dragon. Standing in their way were four Senshi wondering how they were going to handle things without escalating tensions.

"I want to see the dragon!" squealed a young teen girl.

"Yeah, that thing looked bad-ass!" her companion added. "Move out of the way and let us past!"

"Look, there's no dragon!" Jun bristled. "Why don't you people just turn around and go back to the resort!"

"That's a lie! I saw the vid-stream!" the young man shot back.

"There was a dragon here," Ceres told them, making a decision. "He was looking the area over to see it he might resettle here. But it didn't fit his needs, so he moved on. He's not here anymore."

"What's wrong with here?" one of the native residents gasped indignantly.

"Oh, for . . .!" muttered Vesta

"What's wrong with you people?" one of the residents exclaimed. "There was a dragon here! An actual dragon! How can we feel safe here?"

"Aw, the dragon would never eat a dried up old hag like you!" sneered the teen girl. "Come on, stop hiding the dragon! We want to see it!"

"Yeah, stop hiding it and let us past!"

An instinctual early warning began to tickle in the back of Ceres' head. She turned and saw Vesta beginning to boil over.

"Fine, you chumps want a dragon?" Vesta roared. "Fauna Assimilation . . .!"

"VESTA, DON'T YOU DARE!" Ceres snarled, getting right up in her sister's face.

"Don't order me around!" Vesta spat back. "I'm tired of taking it from a bunch of straights who just want some freak show! I'll give them a freak show they'll never forget!"

"And do how much damage in the process?" Ceres countered. "Vesta, think before you act for once!"

"Maybe she's right!" Jun grumbled. "It's always the same: People stomp into a creature's natural environment so they can stare at it or take it home as a pet! They don't have an ounce of consideration for that animal's needs or feelings!"

"Who cares?" the teen girl sneered. "It's just a dragon! You act like it has feelings!"

"He does," came a shy voice motivated by resentment. It was Sailor Saturn. "He has feelings. And he probably doesn't like being stared at or feared or treated like he's some sort of freak or oddity. The compassionate thing to do would be to respect him and leave him alone and not treat him like he's a threat or a source of amusement. That's what Queen Serenity preaches: compassion for others." She looked away, embarrassed by all eyes being on her. "Even dragons."

"Look, you can all see nothing's here," Ceres told the crowd. "And if there were something here, I'd hope that you'd all have enough respect and compassion to not disturb it. Now can everybody just go back to the resort. You're tramping on all the flowers and bushes."

Reluctantly the crowd began to drift back toward the resort. Mutterings could be heard about being killed in their sleep and of bossy Sailor Senshi, but they left. The Senshi all turned to each other in relief.

"DON'T boss me around," Vesta warned Ceres.

"Oh!" Ceres rolled her eyes. "You primitive!"

And when the crowd was out of sight, the female dragon came out from behind her cloak of invisibility. Saturn approached her.

"I'm sorry if they disturbed you," Saturn offered. "They shouldn't bother you again. I don't think anyone else knows you're here."

"I concur," she replied. "And I - - thank you for your words and your efforts on behalf of dragons of the world. I sometimes forget that there are enlightened humans in the world - - your Queen Serenity for one."

"Enlightened by bitter experience sometimes," Saturn said.

* * *

Ami was in her quarters at the palace, sitting in a chair and staring into space, lost in thought. Makoto recognized the signs. Ami had been distracted all through dinner and now was sitting, pondering a problem that had her vexed. So Makoto did what she often did during those times: She silently came up behind Ami, gently put her hands on Ami's shoulders, and began massaging the shoulder and neck muscles. Ami tensed initially, but rapidly relaxed.

"Sorry if I surprised you," Makoto chuckled.

"No you're not," Ami replied. "But you more than make up for it. Makoto, you have the hands of a fine craftsman. Physical therapy would have been a good calling for you."

"Well, I always did like being physical," she quipped. "I used to do this for San-San, way back when, and he was a lot more muscular than you are, so you're not a challenge at all." She continued to massage. "So what great problem has got you bugged now, and will I be able to understand it?"

"I think so," Ami smiled. "I have all of this data on the dragon I scanned at Lake Biwa. It's a fantastic find, Makoto. It revolutionizes our concept of life and evolution. It's something that the world should know!"

"So what's the problem?"

"The problem is it being an invasion of the lives and privacy of intelligent creatures," Ami told her, "and the further incursion on their lives that this information may inspire. I had that pointed out to me by Endymion because I was too blinded by discovery to realize it - - which is very short-sighted of me. Revealing this data could put the dragons at risk of further harassment, both from the curious and from those inspired toward fear and suspicion."

"Well, didn't I see a vid-stream a little while ago where they caught one of the dragons on camera? Doesn't that kind of blow the secret?"

"Yes, concealing their existence is no longer a concern. Now the concern is finding a means for them to peacefully co-exist with humanity now that humanity knows of their existence. I personally think that posting this information will add to that ability rather than subtract from it." Ami sighed pensively. "But I'm just not certain."

"Well," Makoto began thoughtfully, "I've always felt that people are more afraid of what they don't know than of what they know," and she grinned, "unless what they know is a hover car about to run them down." Ami covered her smile with her hand. "I suppose there's always going to be someone who wants to use that information as a means of justifying their paranoia or to further their ambitions. I suppose it's the chance you have to take. Because right now all some people have is Usa's word that they're not a threat, and that might not be enough for some folks."

"I knew I could count on your clarity of vision, Makoto," Ami smiled. "You have a superior ability to sift facts and arrive at the logical conclusion."

"I make a mean pot roast, too, if I don't say so myself," Makoto chuckled.

Ami walked over to her computer work station she kept in her quarters. She was about to post her scientific data on several of the scientific data sites she regularly contributed to when she noticed she had an incoming message.

"[Dr. Rosenberg]," Ami exclaimed, speaking to him in his native German. "[This is a surprise. You usually don't Instant Message me. Has something happened?]"

"[Has something happened, she says,]" Dr. Emil Rosenberg, a fifty-six year old German with a Ph.D. and multiple awards in biology and zoology. "[Haven't you been watching the news streams out of your own country, Dr. Mizuno?]"

"[Ah, that,]" Ami nodded. Makoto was hovering in the background.

"[I assume you're in the process of mounting an expedition to study this creature?]"

"[I'm way ahead of you, Doctor,]" Ami told him. "[I was about to post my findings. I'll send you a copy right now.]"

She pressed a button. Rosenberg pulled them up on his end and took a few moments to look them over while Ami waited. She could see the excitement growing on his face.

"[This is remarkable,]" Rosenberg said, stunned. Then he grew more excited. "[This is the find of the century! Of several centuries! How proud you must be, Dr. Mizuno! This could win you another Gantry Prize!]"

"[Awards aren't necessary, Dr. Rosenberg. You know me better.]"

"[I have to get out there! What's the next Intercontinental flight?]" Rosenberg muttered, shuffling through some papers on his desk.

"[Why would you want to come out here?]" Ami asked. "[The data is all there.]"

"[Why? We have to study this creature! Find out everything about it!]" Rosenberg exclaimed. He put his hand to his mouth. "[Perhaps we can even capture one as a test subject; do an in-depth examination! Run DNA analysis! Oh, what a fountain of information that could be!]"

Makoto didn't speak German. She didn't have to. All she had to do was see the mounting anxiety on Ami's face to know her partner's worst fears had been realized.

Continued in Chapter 11


	11. Trading Rights

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 11: "Trading Rights"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

As she rode on the dragon's neck, Sailor Pallas looked around anxiously. There was still no evidence that they were being followed by anyone or anything. Still Pallas continued to look. She was convinced that someone was following them and her telepathy couldn't detect an observation drone.

"Pallas, I'm coming in for a landing," the dragon said to her. "Be ready for it. I wouldn't want you to be thrown."

"Thank you very much," Pallas said. "Pallas will do that." The dragon noted the preoccupation and melancholy in his companion's voice.

Though Pallas didn't know this, they were on the north tip of Chikubu Island. A bluff of about thirty feet overlooked the waters of Lake Biwa and the shore was thick with trees. This part of the island was undeveloped, even in the thirtieth century, by edict of the King and Queen. Hovering near the bluff, the dragon allowed Pallas to dismount. He then dove down into the water, only to reappear moments later. Still dripping wet, the dragon curled up on the grassy bluff next to Pallas.

"Are you going to live here?" Pallas asks. "Pallas can't hear anybody else around, so nobody will bother you."

"It is not ideal, Pallas," the dragon admitted. "The bluff is larger than I would like. And the area faces north, so it will be exposed to the north winds. It will be colder during the winter than the southern side of the island." He exhaled. "But at the moment, I have little alternative save to continue searching. That does not appeal to me, for I fear I will not find anything better that is not already occupied."

"Pallas is sorry," the Senshi sniffed. The dragon turned to her.

"Pallas, why does this upset you so?"

"Mr. Dragon-Sir wouldn't have had to move if Pallas hadn't found him," Pallas said, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. "Please don't be mad! Pallas is very glad she met you! But," and the girl swallowed her growing emotion, "she thinks it might have been better for you if she hadn't."

"And I maintain that you are wrong, Pallas," the dragon told her. Pallas looked at him with surprise. "Do you think this is the first time in eleven hundred years that I have been discovered? We dragons are good at concealment, but we are not perfect. I have been discovered before. Then I would have to move and the human who discovered me would be dismissed as inebriated or untrustworthy. This is just a trial of life to be endured. It will pass."

His words didn't seem to do much to cheer her up.

"You do not believe me?" he asked.

"Pallas believes you," she said distantly. "Pallas doesn't think you'd fib, even because of the 'sitchitatial ethics' that the Princess used." The dragon smiled warmly.

"Then what else disturbs you? Are you cold? Does this place frighten you? We can continue to search if you wish."

"No," Pallas shook her head.

"Then what is it. I wish you to be happy, Pallas." He sobered. "Have you, perhaps, tired of my company?"

"Oh no!" Pallas gasped. "Pallas wishes she could stay with you forever!" Her excitement died back into melancholy. "But - - that would mean that Pallas can't be with Vesta and Juno and Ceres," and she paused, "and The Princess and Saturn," she paused again, "and her U-Usagi-Mama." A gloved hand wiped at the tears in her eyes. "Pallas wishes she could take you back to the Palace with her. But you don't want to go there, so Pallas won't ask."

"It isn't that I don't want to go, Pallas," the dragon told her. "I would not live long in the city. There is too little water and forest, too many buildings and - - too many humans. I would be found out or I would wither and die."

Pallas stared at him with a look of utter horror. Then she glanced down at her hands.

"Then there's no choice," Pallas sniffed. "Pallas has to stay here."

* * *

"[Dr. Rosenberg,]" Ami began cautiously, "[what you're contemplating is out of the question.]"

"[Out of the question? Nonsense! I can put together a team and be there . . .!]" he began, but Ami cut him off.

"[Dr. Rosenberg,]" she said insistently. "[You can't intrude upon the habitat of this already sorely put-upon creature. And you MOST certainly can't capture one as a test subject. Aside from the moral implications, the Japanese government would not allow it.]"

"[Why not? This data you've already compiled is revolutionary! And it's just the tip of the iceberg! Surely these monarchs of yours can be made to understand the importance and value of this information!]"

"[I can say with certainty that Queen Serenity will not budge from that position,]" Ami told him. "[And King Endymion usually sides with her when she's adamant. And you're forgetting another party in this.]"

"[Who?]"

"[The dragon,]" Ami stated. "[From what contact I've had with the subject, he wishes to be left alone. I very much doubt he would consent to any sort of study, and he certainly would not consent to being a caged test subject.]"

"[It's just a dragon, Dr. Mizuno,]" Rosenberg replied.

"[You speak of him as if he is a lower life form, Doctor,]" Ami surmised. "[That is the flaw in your current hypothesis. This dragon is sentient, intelligent, self-aware and articulate. Studying him as you would a house plant is very presumptuous of you. Unless the situation changes, you and the world will have to content yourselves with the data I've obtained. He will not agree to further testing and we will not permit him being forced or coerced. I'm sorry.]"

Rosenberg stared at her with mounting frustration.

"[It's fortunate such attitudes didn't prevail in historical times,]" Dr. Rosenberg grumbled. "[If it did, we'd still be believing that the common cold is the result of demonic possession.]" And he cut the transmission.

"I'm thinking that didn't go well?" Makoto asked.

"Dr. Rosenberg is a good man," Ami sighed. "He's just frustrated at the moment. And he hasn't experienced all of the things you and I have experienced. Hopefully he'll realize the error of his position."

* * *

"Saharu-San?" one of the local men of Lake Biwa ventured. He was walking out onto a small dock. His friend, Ataru Saharu, was loading sacks into a small induction-powered water craft. "What's going on?"

"Didn't you hear the news streams?" Saharu asked as he anchored the sacks into the water craft with nylon filament cord. "That dragon is on Chikubu Island, near the resort."

"Yeah?" the friend nodded, not making the connection. "What, are you going over there?"

"I am," Saharu replied.

"Hey!" the friend exclaimed, noticing the bags more closely. "That's ammonium nitrate, isn't it? The stuff you use in the landscaped gardens for fertilizer?" A sick thought dawned on the man. "You're not planning . . ."

"On blowing that monster back to its ancestors?" Saharu finished the thought with a glare. "Yes, I am."

"Are you nuts?" gasped his friend. The man tried to climb into the water craft, hoping to pull Saharu out or at least stop him and get him to listen to reason. But Saharu stopped him while he was still on the dock and shoved. The man sprawled onto his back. "Saharu, don't do it!"

"Somebody has to protect the people around here!" growled Saharu. "The government isn't going to do it, so I will!"

"Didn't you see the Princess on the vid-streams? She says the thing is harmless! That it just wants to be left alone!"

"That thing attacked my daughter," Saharu rumbled. "And it attacked us later on! It's dangerous, no matter what the Princess says! And I am not waiting around for it to attack us again!"

Engaging the thruster on the craft, Saharu eased away from the dock and was soon speeding across Lake Biwa for Chikubu Island. His friend stared in shock for a few moments, then turned and ran for where he last remembered the CDP force was stationed.

* * *

"Cere-Cere is the oldest," Pallas related. She and the dragon sat in a clearing near a clump of trees as the sun set. "She's also the smartest. Jun-Jun didn't go to school until she got to the orphanage. And Ves-Ves never liked school. She still doesn't." Pallas grimaced. "And Pallas isn't very smart. But Cere-Cere went to very good schools where they teach you a lot and teach you how to be a lady and stuff. And her parents were very smart, too, and very fancy!"

"Fascinating," the dragon replied. "But why do you say you are not smart?"

"Because Pallas isn't," she said softly. "Pallas's daddy did something to her so she could hear things with her head, but so she couldn't learn. Except for numbers! Pallas is very good with numbers! Do you want to see?"

"Pallas," the dragon began, "education is not the only means of measuring wisdom. How much formal education do you think I have had?"

Pallas grew puzzled. "Pallas guesses none. Pallas can't see Mr. Dragon-Sir sitting in a classroom."

"And you'd be right. Now, do you think me ignorant?"

"Oh, no!" gasped Pallas. "Mr. Dragon-Sir is very smart!"

"Thank you," he smiled. "I have over my life acquired knowledge, knowledge on life and death, on who is worthy of my time and who is not, and on what to value and what not to value. This I learned through living, through seeing and through observing. Wisdom is not reciting facts from a book. Wisdom is knowing what is right and what to do when confronted by wrong. And you, Pallas, have great wisdom."

"She does?" Pallas asked.

"I think so," the dragon said. "And you did say I was very smart, so I must know what I'm talking about."

"You tricked Pallas," Pallas replied peevishly. The dragon smirked at her. "But it was a nice trick. Thank you very much."

"I only spoke truth," he nodded. "Your family seems quite unusual. I am surprised that you all managed to find each other." He glanced at her. "You love them greatly, don't you?"

"Yes," Pallas nodded. "Cere-Cere can be bossy. And Ves-Ves gets mad really easy. And Jun-Jun gets mad at herself a lot for things that aren't her fault. But they're the sisters that Pallas never had. And Ves-Ves swore she'd protect Pallas forever."

Pallas stopped. Her face fell a little and she looked down. The dragon noticed.

"You miss them," he observed.

Pallas didn't answer.

"It grows dark," the dragon said. "Have you thought about where you will sleep, Pallas?"

"No," Pallas replied. Clearly the thought just entered her mind. "Where does Mr. Dragon-Sir sleep?"

"I sleep with my tail submerged in the water and my upper body above the surface," he responded. "My cloak of invisibility is up and the tree line shields me from most of the elements." The dragon looked at her sympathetically. "I do not think that would be adequate for your needs, though."

"Pallas hadn't thought of that," Pallas admitted. "She wishes she'd brought a sleeping bag - - and a pink tent with bunny ears."

Suddenly she looked up at the dragon with a stunned expression. The dragon returned her stare, surprised by the reaction and fearing something had been betrayed.

"You think Pallas should go back to her sisters," Pallas vocalized what she'd read in his mind. "Are you tired of Pallas?"

"I could never grow tired of you, Pallas," the dragon replied. "You have touched me in a way that no other being ever has - - though I admit I have been alone for most of my time."

"Then why?"

"Pallas, you wished to see me resettled. I have done so, and you were a great comfort in that. You thought only of me and I am grateful for that. But now I think of you and your needs. You will need food and shelter and this place I have chosen will not provide you with those. You cannot digest the sunlight as I do, and you do not have hard scales to shield you from the weather. Staying here would be a hardship upon you and that would grieve me terribly." The dragon bent in and nuzzled the Senshi's arm with his ridged nose. "You wish to stay by my side. I would wish for nothing else. But reality will not allow it without you suffering. And I will not allow you to suffer."

"But Pallas will have to go back to Crystal Tokyo if she goes back with her family!" Pallas exclaimed. "And she'll never see you again!"

"Never is far too absolute, Pallas," the dragon told her. "You came to Lake Biwa once. You can do so again. I will look forward to your visits." He sighed. "But your place is with your family and your Princess, just as my place is here in Lake Biwa."

Pallas sank to the ground, sitting in the grass, tears dribbling down her cheeks.

"It's not fair!" Pallas sobbed. The dragon nuzzled her again.

"Some things must be, Pallas, despite our wishes otherwise," he consoled her. "We can rail against them, or we can accept what must be and find the good in it to cherish."

Pallas reached out and wrapped her arms around the dragon's neck. The dragon held his position while she cried herself out.

"Mr. Dragon-Sir is smart," Pallas said finally. "Pallas said so. So she should - - listen to what he says. Would Mr. Dragon-Sir fly Pallas back to where her sisters are? Because Pallas can't fly on her own."

"Of course," he said.

"Would Mr. Dragon-Sir mind if Pallas visited him tomorrow?"

"I look forward to it."

* * *

Pegasus landed in the small clearing where the other Senshi waited. Sailor Moon dismounted and the Dream Guardian returned to his human form. The others, led by Saturn, ran up to meet her.

"How did it go with the news people?" Saturn asked.

"Hopefully I gave them enough that they'll leave this area alone," Sailor Moon sighed. "No more incidents would be a big step toward that goal. Everything quiet here?"

"We had some of the tourists and the locals come down looking to gawk at the dragon," Ceres informed her. "The other dragon stayed behind her invisibility cloak and we convinced the folks to leave." She noticed Sailor Moon tense. "Non-violently," Ceres assured her, then glanced contemptuously at Vesta. Vesta just scowled and looked away.

"Yeah, if things stay quiet, this will probably all blow over," Juno added. "It would probably help things to blow over if we went back to the cabins."

"A good idea," Sailor Moon nodded. "I just can't help wondering about Pallas. I mean, physically I'm sure she's all right. That dragon will look out for her. I just wonder how she's going to react when she realizes just how big a step she's taken."

"You talk like you don't think she's coming back," Saturn noted. Vesta turned and stared anxiously at them.

"Well, I don't KNOW," Sailor Moon sighed. "Pallas could decide to do just about anything. She might get bored and be back tomorrow for breakfast." The Princess stopped for a moment. "But she may just decide to stay with the dragon. She really seems to like him. This could be the start of a whole new life for her." She grinned. "I would kind of miss her."

Suddenly realizing who was standing there, Sailor Moon glanced apprehensively at the Asteroids.

"We've thought the same thing," Ceres admitted. "It's not easy to admit, but it could go down that way. And if it's what she wants, then we just have to be happy for her."

Juno heard it first. She turned and looked out over the ocean. That drew the others to look as well. They could all see a small water craft speeding along the surface of the water.

"That craft is coming in pretty fast," Juno judged. "Hey, I'm not sure that craft is headed for the resort! That's headed for the cove!"

* * *

On the opposite side of the island, Pallas and the dragon heard what sounded like an explosion in the distance. Over the tree tops, on the south side of the island, orange and black filled the sky.

"VESTA!" Pallas shrieked suddenly. The dragon turned to her. "MR. DRAGON-SIR, VESTA IS IN TROUBLE!"

"Climb upon me, Pallas!" the dragon exclaimed.

Pallas mounted the dragon and together they headed for the south side of Chikubu Island.

Concluded in Chapter 12


	12. Resolved

SOUL MATES  
Chapter 12: "Resolved"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

With Pallas astride his neck, the dragon gained altitude until he was over the trees of the dense forests of the northern part of Chikubu Island, then shot forward toward the south side. He slithered through the air, much the way a snake would slither across a patch of ground, but at such a great speed that the island seemed to blur. Pallas noticed none of this, for awareness was a straightforward thing for her and she was focused on the billowing cloud of black smoke coming from the south of the island.

She had sensed Vesta's surprise and alarm through the telepathic link she had with her sisters, Vesta most of all. Now she sensed nothing. Was it because she was too far away, or had tragedy claimed her family and friends?

As the dragon flew, CDP drones sped by them, headed for the source of the explosion and fire. The dragon noticed them, and was certain they had noticed him, but sped on because his over-riding concern was for Pallas.

"She's OK!" Pallas exclaimed suddenly. "Vesta is OK!"

The dragon continued on. Reaching the cove where he had met the female dragon and the other Senshi, he and Pallas could see the burning wreckage of what had once been a human water craft. It was beached on the grassy bank of the lake, consumed by a fire that was even now being extinguished by Sailor Juno with her water powers and the CDP drones using chemical flame retardant. The other Senshi were huddled back from the wreckage. The dragon flew to them, getting close enough so Pallas could dismount.

"Pallas!" Vesta gasped with relief.

"What happened?" Pallas cried. "Pallas heard you all the way on the other side of the island! Is everyone OK?"

"Somebody in a water craft charged us from the lake," Ceres explained. "It must have been loaded with some explosive, because it blew up the minute it hit the bank." She expelled a breath and Pallas sensed her anxiety. "Fortunately Saturn was able to erect her Silence Wall to protect us from the blast. Then Juno contained it. He must have been crazy!"

"He was probably hunting dragons," scowled Vesta, staring back at the smoldering wreckage littering the bank.

Everybody turned when they noticed the dragon ease over to the edge of the forest from the clearing. They remembered that was where the female was.

"You are injured," he said, though they saw nothing. Then the female came out from behind its cloak of invisibility.

"I was burned by debris from the crash," she replied bitterly. "More evidence of how dangerous it is to associate with humans."

"I grieve for your wounds," he told her. "But please don't let it harden your heart against the humans. They are not all alike."

"Now I will have to find new shelter," she fumed. "AND tend to my wounds. A plague upon these . . .!"

"Um," Saturn began shyly, inching forward. "If you're hurt, I can help you." She swallowed. "If you'll let me."

The female eyed Saturn suspiciously.

"You can trust them," the male assured her.

Silently he gestured Saturn forward. Approaching, she noticed the burn on the dragon's soft underside. Saturn put down her glaive and held her hands up, splayed, so the female could see she had no weapons. As she approached, her hands began to glow with a violet hue. When the energy touched the burn, the female sucked in air. She looked down and saw the burn recede, even as she felt the pain dissipate. Moments later, Saturn took her hands away and the female found that the burn was gone.

"You see?" the male said. "Sometimes it pays to trust."

"I," she began, staring at him in amazement. Then she turned to Saturn. "Thank you."

"I was happy to do it," Saturn smiled.

With the fire out, the drones turned and approached the two dragons.

"Unidentified life organisms detected," the drones said in unison. "Please identify yourselves. Once identity is confirmed, a statement on this incident is required."

"Oh for . . .!" huffed Sailor Moon. She pulled out her PDA and began typing on it. After a few moments, the drones rose into the air and returned to the crash site as if the dragons didn't exist. Ceres turned to Sailor Moon and silently questioned her. "I hacked their systems and erased the dragon portions of this incident from their registries. The last thing we need is CDP finding out there's ANOTHER dragon in the area."

"And your dad's OK with that?" Ceres asked.

"I doubt it," grumbled Sailor Moon, "so he doesn't have to know." She caught the disapproving stare from Ceres. "Don't give me that look."

"Fine," huffed Ceres, turning away. "I'll see what I can do about restoring the damage on this bank." She walked over to the crash site and threw out some seeds. "Floral Stimulation!" Instantly grass begin to grow in the burned areas, as well as native flowers along the edge of the bank.

"Um, Sailor Moon," Juno spoke up. "Sounds like the locals are coming to investigate the crash." Sailor Moon turned and found a group of locals and tourists headed for the clearing, along with several CDP officers. The two dragons slipped behind their cloaks of invisibility.

"Sailor Moon!" one of the officers remarked with surprise as several of the locals gasped and buzzed among themselves. "What happened here?"

"As far as we can piece together, a man loaded a water craft full of some explosive and rammed this cove with it," Sailor Moon replied.

"Do you know why?" the officer asked as the other two officers went to tend to what remained of the body in what remained of the craft.

"No," she answered, "but if I had to guess, I think he saw the recent vid-stream from this area and was determined to eliminate the 'dragon threat'."

The crowd continued to murmur, until Sailor Moon turned to them.

"This is what happens when you allow fear and paranoia to rule your life," she told them. "The dragon meant no harm to anyone, and had left besides. He was no danger to anyone. The danger is succumbing to fear and hysteria. That fear claimed a man's life. Please don't follow his example. Live your life dedicated to helping, not destroying. Please."

Saturn and the Amazons watched as Sailor Moon's words, combined with the gruesome image sitting on the bank of the lake, impacted the crowd. The people looked at each other and slowly began to break up, returning to the resort nearby. In minutes, with the aid of the drones, the body and wreckage were taken by CDP for forensic examination. Her Senshi gathered around Sailor Moon.

"Pretty speech," Vesta said. "Hope it works."

"I think it will," Ceres added. "Sounded a little familiar, too."

"Yeah," chuckled Saturn. "Sounded just like her mom."

"Oh, knock it off," grumbled Sailor Moon.

By this time, they all noticed Pallas had wandered back to where the dragons were cloaked. The male uncloaked and bent down to Pallas.

"Pallas doesn't want you to go," Pallas said, tears sprouting again, "but she knows you have to. Pallas wishes Mr. Dragon-Sir didn't have to live in a place he doesn't like."

"It will be temporary, Pallas," the dragon told her. "I may grow to like that spot. And if I don't, my old habitat will grow back in a season or two and I will just return there." He seemed to smile, his sharp teeth making Vesta nervous. "And your promised visits will brighten up the most dour of spots. You will remember, won't you?"

"OH YES!" Pallas exclaimed. "Pallas will visit Mr. Dragon-Sir whenever she can! She promises and she'll never break that promise, hope to die!"

"Your word will be enough," the dragon said, nuzzling against Sailor Pallas. "Blood vows are not necessary."

As the dragon began to rise up into the air, the female suddenly came out from behind her cloak.

"Wait, please," she said. The male and Pallas turned to her curiously. "If I may ask you, where have you relocated?"

"A spot on the north point of the island," he replied.

"Do you not fear the blow of the north winds?" she asked.

"It cannot be helped," he told her. "And as I said, it may only be for one season. I shall endure. But your concern is appreciated."

"Um," the female began haltingly, "well, since - - as you say - - it may only be for one season," and as she struggled, no one noticed Pallas's eyes grow wide, "perhaps you, well, could stay here after all. As a favor to your friends, out of gratitude for their kindness in healing me," and they all noticed her beginning to breath harder and avoid eye contact, "and for their noble thoughts and deeds. And, perhaps, I could - - learn - - from your experience - - and wisdom. If you are willing to teach me - - a-and if you are still inclined toward this spot . . ."

"I accept your generosity in the spirit it was given," the male said gently. A thrill passed through the female.

"Thank you, Miss Dragon-Ma'am!" Pallas exclaimed. "That was so nice!" She grinned devilishly. "And Pallas hopes you and Mr. Dragon-Sir have lots and lots of babies."

"B-Babies?" sputtered the female. "It's not - - I didn't - - f-foolish human! It was a gesture of charity and NOTHING MORE!"

But Pallas only walked back to the other Senshi with a smug look on her face. And if a dragon could blush, the female would be doing so at that moment. The male struggled not to laugh.

* * *

Back at the cabins, the teens were preparing to bed down for the evening. They would fly back to Crystal Tokyo in the morning. And yet, they were too keyed up to sleep just yet. Jun was determined to get in one more swim before they had to leave. Cere was sitting on the step of one cabin, idly talking to a patch of lilacs that had grown next to the step. Palla-Palla headed straight for bed, because this was way past her bedtime, while Usa and Hotaru sat on the step of the other cabin and watched the lake at night while sipping fruit juice.

Palla-Palla had just finished brushing her teeth. Outfitted in her footed bunny pajamas, the teen headed for bed. But she stopped when she noticed Ves in the doorway.

"Ves-Ves is worried about Palla-Palla," the teen observed.

"Wish you'd stop doing that," grunted Ves. She softened immediately. "So, um, are you OK with how things went down?"

Palla-Palla thought a moment. "Palla-Palla is glad nobody got hurt badly," then she thought, "except for the man in the water boat. She wishes he hadn't gotten hurt. But Mr. Dragon-Sir is fine now and he's with Miss Dragon-Ma'am. And Palla-Palla thinks they'll be very happy together, because Miss Dragon-Ma'am thinks he's cool and likes him a lot."

"So you're OK with that?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't Palla-Palla be OK with that?"

"Well," stammered Ves, "I thought - - well, at first, I kind of thought - - that . . ."

"You thought Palla-Palla was in love with Mr. Dragon-Sir?"

Ves looked away. "Yeah."

"Palla-Palla likes Mr. Dragon-Sir a lot," Palla-Palla tried to explain, "but she didn't want to get married and have babies with him."

"I'm not sure you could," Ves snorted.

"Mr. Dragon-Sir is a special friend," the teen smiled. "Palla-Palla can tell him anything and she knows he'll understand. Other people don't always understand, even if they're your friend." She thought a moment. "It's sort of like how the Princess and Miss Hotaru-Ma'am are. We're friends with them. But they're 'friends-friends'." Palla-Palla grimaced. "Does Ves-Ves understand? Palla-Palla's not too good at explaining things."

"Yeah, I think I got it," Ves murmured. "Well, good for you. It's good that you can find someone like that in your life," and she snorted again, "even if he's a twenty foot tall lizard. I got to admit, you had me worried."

"Palla-Palla is sorry for worrying you, Ves-Ves," Palla-Palla said, walking slowly up to her sister.

"It's OK," Ves grinned, Palla-Palla just inches away now. "I worry so you don't have to."

"Thank you," she chirped. Then she sprang up and kissed Ves on the cheek. "Night Night!" and she scampered, giggling, into bed.

"Good night," Ves sighed, but the smile wouldn't come off her face.

Outside, Hotaru and Usa continued to watch the lake shimmer by moonlight.

"Oh, I hope that solves everything," Usa sighed. "I kind of liked that dragon. He's a lot more intelligent than some people I've met."

"I think so," Hotaru replied. "From what you told me, he's had a lot of experience not making people nervous."

"Yeah," Usa said. "Sort of ruined the vacation, though."

"That's the life of a warrior for love and justice," Hotaru smirked. Usa flashed her a return smirk.

"Too bad, too. I was really hoping to use this trip to get closer to the others, too. Guess I'm still 'Princess' and not 'Usa'."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Hotaru observed. "Usa, they like you. And just as important, they respect you. They follow you out of respect, not because it's their job. Just because you're not as close to the asteroids as your mom is to the Inner Senshi doesn't mean you're a failure."

"That's not why I did it!" protested Usa.

"Uh huh," Hotaru smirked.

"It's not!"

Hotaru gave her a cynical look.

"Oh, you're so smart!" huffed the Princess. She glanced over at Helios, who was sitting in a lotus position by the porch rail, in a light trance as he monitored the dreaming. "Helios, help me out here!"

"I can offer no defense against the truth, Maiden," Helios murmured distantly. Usa stuck her tongue out at him while Hotaru giggled. Just then, Usa's Senshi Communicator signaled. As Usa moved to answer, she noticed Cere and Hotaru tense.

"Pop?" Usa exclaimed. "Is something wrong?"

"No, dear," the King said and the others sagged with relief. "I just saw the recordings from the CDP drones on the incident on Chibuku Island. You and your group handled that as well as could be expected. It's really disheartening about the man in the water craft. Just when you think you've gotten through to everybody, something like this happens."

"Mom upset?" Usa asked.

"Of course," Endymion replied. "But she was very pleased to hear what you said to the citizens there. She's asked Luna to release it to the media and post it on the palace website."

"If she has to," Usa sighed, though deep down she was thrilled. "We'll be heading home tomorrow, Pop."

"Be prepared for an unusually hearty bear hug from your mother," Endymion cautioned her. "She's very proud of you."

"Maybe I can sneak in the back," chuckled the Princess. Her father gave her a knowing smile. "Well, I have to get some sleep. See you tomorrow, Pop."

"Oh, Usa. One more thing," the King said. Usa looked at him curiously. "Don't ever hack a CDP drone and alter its recording logs. See you tomorrow." And he signed off. Usa sat on the step, stunned for a moment and blushing ever so slightly. Then she noticed Hotaru chuckling beside her.

"What are you laughing at?" the girl huffed.

END


End file.
